Cashel win again to second in Division 2A of AIL

ENERGIA ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE DIVISION 2A

CASHEL 22 OLD CRESCENT 19

For the next six weeks the eyes of the sporting world will focus on the rugby Six Nations Championship and stadia will be full to the rafters with supporters who have a huge appetite for something to cheer about. For the supporters of Cashel and indeed the supporters of all the All-Ireland League clubs, this appetite has been whetted since the start of the season by the young amateur players who turn up week after week to play for their clubs and provide lots of entertainment to small but passionate crowds of faithful supporters.
Last Saturday’s contest between Cashel and Old Crescent at Spafield was another rip-roaring game that Crescent dominated for long spells but eventually lost to a wonderful Cashel try deep in injury time. With no touch judges available, both clubs provided personnel, with Cashel’s Sean Murphy making his debut in this important position.
Crescent played with the strong wind in the first half and from the start made it clear that thay wanted to continue their good form and add to their two wins earlier in January.
Cashel were camped in their own half for the first twenty minutes and only heroic defending kept the visitors out. Crescent were on top in the scrums early on and won a penalty with ten minutes on the clock. The kick went narrowly wide.
Two minutes later they were in for a try but were called back and penalised for crossing. They won another penalty five minutes later, took it quickly and were stopped when James Ryan turned the ball over to save Cashel.

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As the pressure mounted, Crescent sent a clever kick from the ten metre line to the try line. In the race for the ball it was knocked on and Cashel had a temporary respite. First blood was drawn on twenty two minutes when the Crescent out half dropped a goal when they had another penalty coming to them.
From the kick off a Crescent player knocked on and Cashel had their first attacking position with a scrum 30m out. The chance was not wasted, and as the forwards rumbled over the line Niall Fitzgerald dotted down for a try to put Cashel ahead.
During all this pressure Aidan Butler was injured and was replaced by Brendan Ryan. Josh Pickering also picked up an injury and was replaced by Michael Hickey. Both went on to make considerable contributions to the Cashel cause.
Crescent went back into the lead with a penalty for a high tackle and then as Cashel were making progress on halfway the ball went to ground, and the Crescent winger put his boot to it deep into Cashel territory. The ball bounced kindly for him and he went in under the posts for a converted try.
This left the half-time score Cashel 5 Old Crescent 13. Cashel could have no complaints, as Old Crescent dominated that first half and deserved their lead.
There is no doubt the wind was a big factor and Cashel knew that an improvement was required if they wanted to continue their unbeaten run. The performance picked up dramatically but Crescent were not giving an inch. Their defence was like a stone wall that Cashel battered with everything they had. Two excellent mauls were held up.
The first chink of light came after sixty one minutes when Cian Mullane kicked a penalty. This was cancelled from the kick-off with an excellent penalty kick into the wind when Cashel were penalised for crossing.
With 10 minutes left it was not looking good for Cashel, as Crescent had repulsed everything Cashel threw at them.
In most games there is a turning point and it arrived as Crescent were clearing to touch just inside their 22. Fearghaill O’Donoghue stretched full length to block the ball, which spun to the tryline. The full back, under pressure, cleared to touch five metres out, O’Donoghue won the lineout and barged over for a try that Cian Mullane converted to reduce Crescent’s lead to a point.
Back came Crescent to stretch their lead out to four points with a penalty when Cashel were caught offside on their 22.
With time running out Cashel piled on the pressure and still Crescent stood solid. They did, however, concede two penalties. Three points were no good for Cashel so they went for to the corner, winning the lineout. The forwards went through the phases, a gap appeared out wide, Michael Hickey flashed the ball to the backs and Alan McMahon dived over for a try. Cian Mullane converted from the touchline with an excellent kick.
Crescent made one more attempt to rescue the situation but Cashel held out. The final score was Cashel 22 Old Crescent 19.
It was a wonderful game played in a wonderful spirit. Old Crescent were understandably gutted, as they put in a great shift and felt they should have won. Cashel were relieved and as Nenagh beat Ballymena, Cashel moved into second position in the league.
There were very good performances throughout the field but for me James Ryan was outstanding and as the elder statesman on the team used all his experience to keep them going to the very end. It was a good day also for young Joshua O’Dwyer who made his All-Ireland league debut, off the bench, for Cashel. The teams take a three-week break before the next round commences.
Cashel team: (1-20) C Ryan, N Fitzgerald, J Blair, R Moran, A Butler, A O’Connor, J Ryan, F O’Donohghue, J Pickering, D O’Neill, A Dunne, C Cashman, A McMahon, R Kingston, Cian Mullane, B Ryan, M Kelly, L Shine, M Hickey, J O’Dwyer.

Philip Ryan builds up a head of steam against St Mary's in the Munster Junior Cup at Spafield on Sunday last.

MUNSTER JUNIOR CUP
Cashel 11 St Mary’s 0
Cashel’s Junior Cup team kicked off their campaign on Sunday with an impressive win over St Mary’s of Limerick. The first half was played with a cold wind blowing across the field-the rain arrived just after half- time. Dan O’Neill put Cashel ahead after ten minutes with a penalty. St Mary’s came back strongly but stout defending kept the Cashel line intact. Ten minutes before half-time, Cashel were almost over for a try after good forwarrd play but were pinged for holding on. As half- time approached they ran from inside their own half, with the ball passing through the backs to Adam Dunne, who showed a clean pair of heels to the visitors to score a fine try in the corner.
Ten minutes into the second half Cashel had to defend manfully on two occasions to keep St Mary’s out. Five minutes later a break by Liam Shine brought play to the opposition 22. St Mary’s were penalised and Dan O’Neill dispatched the kick to put Cashel 11 points ahead. He hit the post a few minutes later with another penalty. Cashel dominated the final quarter but could not breach a stout St Mary’s defence. The final score was Cashel 11 St Mary’s 0.
Cashel captain, Kieran Gleeson led by example and was helped in the pack by Michael Kelly, Cormac O’Donnell, Philly Ryan and Liam Shine. Scrum half Lee McCarthy, out half Dan O’Neill, winger Adam Dunne and full back Josh O’Dwyer also caught the eye.
Cashel team: (1-20) C O’Donnell, P Ryan, M Kelly, J Ryan, B O’Connor, K Gleeson, L Shine, B Blackford, L McCarthy, D O’Neill, M McCormack, J O’Rourke, J O’Sullivan, A Dunne, J O’Dwyer, T Allen, C Lonergan, H O’Donoghue, M Hickey, M K O’Dywer.

UNDER AGE
Cashel’s under 16s had a good 34 points to 5 win over Mallow in the Munster League.
The under 8s had a blitz with Kilfeacle and Clanwilliam.

Diarmuid Gleeson rises to the sky for Cashel against St Mary's of Limerick in the Munster Junior Cup at Spafield on Sunday last with Herman O'Donoghue and Brian O'Connor doing the heavy lifting.