Tipperary and Limerick sides draw in Munster Rugby Challenge Cup

Challenge Cup quarter-final

GALBALLY 26 v 26 KILFEACLE & DISTRICT

 After an impressive display against Galbally in the Challenge Cup quarter-final hopes were high, maybe too high!

This was a game in which the visiting side made hard work of it. There just seemed to be something amiss. Nothing was going the way it was planned, training manoeuvres were not working and everyone seemed to be on a different wave length.

In Galbally on Sunday last  the conditions were good for Rugby. There was a light breeze blowing across the pitch and the playing surface was good underfoot.

Three minutes were played when Kilfeacle scored their first try after some great phases of play by the forwards consisting of Diarmuid O’Donnell, Kevin Kinnane, Cormac Ryan, Jack McLoughlin, Luke Ashmore, Stephen Quirke, James Ryan, Gavin McCormack, Michael Slattery and Ricky Whitney.

 The try was scored by Jack McLoughlin and the conversion was kicked by Brodie Flannery.

Kilfeacle and District’s backs, consisting of Pat Ryan, Darren Lowry, Ciaran Lowry, Cian Ryan, Gavin Heuston, Shane Luby, James Hogan and Brodie Flannery started to move the ball and Kilfeacle and District RFC added to their try account scoring in the 14th minute when after a huge team effort, Shane Luby touched down in the corner. Brodie Flannery watched his conversion attempt miss its target and Kilfeacle led 12 points to 0.

The vast majority of the first half was played in the home side’s half, only twice in the first half did Galbally manage to have sustained pressure in the Kilfeacle half. The first was a missed penalty kick by their scrum half the second time was a well worked team try which was not converted.

For all their possession and territorial advantage the visiting side found it very difficult to build up good phases of play and their endeavours were plagued with handling errors, this inability to convert possession to scores on the board would come back to haunt Kilfeacle in the final seconds of the game. 

On numerous occasions a well worked move by the Kilfeacle team earned them a penalty kick. For most of the time in the first half the option was to kick for touch. The subsequent lineout would be won and Kilfeacle after many phases of play would relinquish possession or give away a foul and loose possession.

Galbally’s defence was admirable and they kept forcing errors from the Kilfeacle team. Half-time could not come fast enough for the homeside who were lucky to find themselves trailing by only 12 points to 5. 

The coaches and manager let the team know their feelings at half time and demanded an improvement from everyone. For Galbally the improvement came and it came immediately. When a last ditch desperation tackle from the Kilfeacle defence was deemed too high it meant a yellow card for Kilfeacle and a penalty try for Galbally.

Twelve points a piece and Kilfeacle were down to 14 men with 39 minutes remaining.

Galbally used their extra man well and went to punish Kilfeacle and District. In the 5th minute of the second half they did and finished off a fine team move after numerous phases of ball retention to score under the posts. This was converted easily and Galbally were now ahead 19 points to 12. Kilfeacle were hanging on.

 The sin bin finished and Kilfeacle regained their composure. It was only from the 70th minute onwards did Kilfeacle show the type of form that the travelling fans expected. By this time the home ahead and contemplating victory.

It is a funny game rugby and where everything had been going wrong for so long started to work, ball was going to hand, retention was good and Kilfeacle started to put together good phases of play.

However the clock was against the visiting side. All Galbally needed to do was to shut Kilfeacle out for another 10 minutes but as the game progressed this seemed more and more unlikely. Finally in the 73rd minute Kilfeacle displayed their true calibre when, after countless phases of play and a full team effort, Cian Ryan broke through the Galbally defence to touch down for a try. Brodie Flannery hastily converted the try as time was now the greatest enemy.

Five minutes later an exquisite piece of individual skill saw Darren Lowry chip through and collect his own ball to score under the posts. This time Brodie Flannery converted at leisure. Kilfeacle were now leading by 26 points to 19. If they could just see the game out a bonus point win was in the bag.

Kilfeacle were to learn what many teams before were to learn and that is Galbally are a very proud team and don’t like to lose at home.

In the final two  minutes plus stoppage time they threw everything at Kilfeacle. The tables had completely turned now, Galbally were dominant and Kilfeacle were under pressure.

Galbally now lay siege on the Kilfeacle line and in the 83rd minute once more breached the Kilfeacle defensive wall, when they deservedly finished off a well worked move.

Galbally watched the conversion split the posts as the referee sounded the end of the game and a draw 26 points a piece. 

That is twice now that failing to convert numerous scoring chances has cost valuable league points. This is the second game in a row, where early scores conceded in the second half have caused Kilfeacle concern.

To make reasonable and sustained league and cup charges this year, the team need to get back into the habit of winning, quickly, or their hopes of any kind of silverware might just pass them by.

Kilfeacle and District would like to thank everyone from Galbally RFC and wish the club the best. The team as ever are proud and humbled by the amount of support they receive and hope that their supporters will continue to come along and support the “Boys in Blue”.

Fixture

Our fist team is back in competitive action next week in the Munster Junior League at home to St. Mary RFC with kick off at 2.30pm on Sunday next, November 25.