All Ireland League – Old Wesley 27 UCC 31
On a perfect Autumn day for rugby, UCC faced Old Wesley on Saturday in their division 1B AIL league match at the Mardyke Grounds Cork. This was a good lively game which seemed to be going UCC’s way, but a great comeback from Wesley kept the outcome in doubt right until the end, mainly due to the excellent kicking of the Old Wesley wing, Jack Maybury, and a solid defence.
UCC opened the scoring after 5 mins when their no.12, Linn, crossed for a try, converted by out half Taylor. Wesley soon hit back and two quick penalties from Maybury put 6 points on the board for Wesley to make the scoreline 7-6 to the students. On 20 mins UCC scored another try from broken play when their full back, Walsh, crossed the Wesley line, but Taylor missed the conversion to leave the score 12-6. After half an hour, the strong running UCC no.8 was sin-binned for a high tackle and two penalties in quick succession from Maybury saw the game level at 12 12. The sides again exchanged penalties just coming up to half time, leaving the game tied at 15-15 at the break.
The second half continued in lively fashion with some excellent rugby from both sides and after the Wesley no.10, Tim Clifford, was sent to the bin for a deliberate knock on, UCC kicked three penalties from the boot of out half Taylor to move into a commanding 24 -15 lead. However, Wesley were not prepared to lie down and responded with a great try in the corner from Jack Maybury to make it 24-20 and it was game on yet again. With 10 mins left, the UCC right wing, Slater, crossed the Wesley line for a third UCC try and Taylor converted to make the score 31 -20 and the game now looked all over. However, the visitors never stopped trying and were rewarded with another try , this time from left wing Tommy O’Callaghan which once again Maybury converted to make it 31-27 to UCC.
Wesley tried very hard to grab the match out of the fire in the last few minutes of the game but time, unfortunately , ran out and they had to settle for a losing bonus point on a final scoreline of 31-27 to UCC.
The one positive is that due to other match results we move one place up the table to second last ahead of next week’s opposition Dolphin.
Scores: Tries: Jack Maybury, Tommy O’Callaghan; Con: Jack Maybury; Pens: Jack Maybury 5
Team: Rory Stynes, Jack Maybury, Cillian Monahan, Adam Kennedy, Tommy O’Callaghan; Tim Clifford, Aaron Atkinson; Cronan Gleeson, Conor Maguire, James Burton, Donnchadh Phelan, JJ O’Dea, Darren Horan (capt), Stephen Boyle, Kieran Murphy. Replacements: Craig Telford, Ryan Healy, Mark Robinson, David Poff, Richie Jermyn.