Wesley taught lesson by Students
All Ireland League – Old Wesley 17 Dublin University 43
Old Wesley travelled to College Park in Dublin city centre in high hopes after their recent well engineered win over Shannon. However it was the students who gave the Wesley side a lesson in how to play rugby. After an initial promising start by Old Wesley from fifteen minutes into the game it was Trinity who proved they were by far the better side as they outclassed the Donnybrook visitors in virtually all facets of the game. Old Wesley had no answer to Trinity’s fast running backline who were prepared to run the ball at every opportunity exposing defensive weaknesses in their opposite numbers. The students also dominated in the line outs and caused headaches for the Wesley scrum all afternoon.
Old Wesley started well gaining territory in the opposition half and after 6 minutes were awarded a penalty inside the Trinity 22 which Barry McLaughlin had no difficulty in converting. But that was the end of Wesley’s dominance as from the restart the game took a dramatic swing as the students started to show their flair and pace. Centre Paddy Lavelle tore a huge hold in the Wesley defence to put flanker Tom Ryan in for their first try. And it was one-way traffic for the rest of the first half as Trinity continued to score three more tries without answer by USA International Tim Maupin, a second one by Ryan and Conor Kearns. Jack McDermott converted three and added a penalty goal and at half time Old Wesley were staring down the barrel of a 29-3 deficit.
The visitors started the second half with a little more gusto and started to take play to the opposition. However their cause was not helped when Darren Horan was shown a yellow card for an off the ball incident. This rejuvenated the Trinity confidence and 11 minutes into the half they were on the scoreboard again with a try by Max McFarland, easily converted by McDermott. Then with 15 minutes left on the clock it was Trinity’s turn for punishment when prop Andy Keating was shown a red card for a dangerous tackle. Wesley eventually came good, albeit for a short spell, when Craig Telford crossed for try in the corner following good ball off a line out. And five minutes later it was the turn of Ger Finucane who scored a second try in virtually the same place. Ian Cassidy converted both difficult kicks to give the score some element of respectability for Old Wesley. But it was the students who had the final say right on the final whistle when Maupin strolled in for his second try.
Not a happy afternoon for Old Wesley but with other results in our favour we remain in 4th place in the league table with 4 matches remaining.
Old Wesley team: Rory Stynes, ,Barry McLaughlin, Billy Ngawini, Ger Finucane, Paul Harte, Alan Large, Ian Cassidy [Capt], Davy Henshaw, David Rowley, James Burton, Mark Robinson, Iain McGann, Darren Horan, Stephen Boyle, Mark Rowley. Subs: Martin Gately, Craig Telford, Rory Kerins, Conor Fitzgibbon, Billy Henshaw,
Old Wesley scorers: Craig Telford, Try; Ger Finucane, Try; Barry McLaughlin, 2 Cons, Pen.
