Roscrea Claim Bragging Rights In Top Of Table Clash
Thursday, 15 December 2011
Roscrea 30. Portarlington 15.
This game was hotly anticipated, the top-of-the-table clash that certainly lived up to its billing. It was a ferocious and ill-tempered game with super skills displayed by both sides. Roscrea laid down a marker, and they showed their intent to finish the season where they finished 2011, at the top of the table.
Roscrea and Portarlington both started nervously testing each other's defences. The Portarlington backs were well drilled and fired the ball quickly across the field stretching the Roscrea players wide. Roscrea were pushing hard in the scrum disrupting the Portarlington forwards, and the Referee was fighting battles on numerous fronts.
Roscrea drew first blood with an excellent penalty kick by John Lillis from wide practically on the touch line. Dave Carney was involved in a little bit of a tussle and was sent to the sin bin for his troubles. Whilst the Portarlington backs were working well, the forwards were allowing Roscrea to punch through and make breaks up the field.
Enda Harte made a quick burst through from the half way line supported by Malachy Maher and Gearoid Doherty. He popped the ball up after the tackle to Gearoid who deftly side-stepped the final defender to touch down under the posts. John Lillis easily added the extras. With the score at 10 -3 Roscrea were looking in a good position.
John Maher and Robert Dempsey were performing heroically in the breakdown and Joe Smyth was cleaning up and hammering the Portarlington forwards. Just before half-time tempers flared again and this time Gearoid Doherty was sent off. He was not responsible for the incident and in a case a mistaken identity he will feel extremely aggrieved at his mistreatment.
Roscrea were in the lead at half time, but with 14 against 15 it was now looking difficult. Portarlington are an excellent team, with a string of good results behind them and they would have thought with the man advantage that they would be heading home with the points. With almost the first possession of the second-half, a penalty was awarded to Roscrea and John Lillis was able to stretch the lead.
Portarlington made a decisive break and capitalised on a breakdown of communication in theRoscrea ranks. They dodged past a couple of desperatetackles to touch down in the corner failing to add the conversion. Portarlington regained the ball and made steady progress up field with a couple of imaginative backline moves.
Roscrea's typically dogged resistance foiled them though, and the return to Portarlington's half saw a really clever box kick by John Lillis from the 22. The Portarlington fullback made a dogs dinner of gathering the ball and allowed John to reclaim his own ball and dive over the whitewash for their second try of the game. He added the extras to make the score 23 -8.
With time beginning to run out Portarlington were getting desperate, snatching at kicks and making bad decisions at the set-piece. Roscrea made their job even more complicated with a yellow card being upgraded to a red card for abuse of the referee. 15 minutes to go 13 against 15. Roscrea should have had their backs to the wall, peppered by assaults from thunderous charges by aggressive Portarlington attacks. It was not so, with a two man disadvantage players like Donal Costello, Paul McNamara, Dave Carney and Alan Tynan were the ones smashing through tackles. Roscrea were playing like they were on fire, such was the urgency and speed of their play. Cormac Bulfin had an immense game, his cunning play and guile often taking across the gain line, and his superb technique in the tackle brought Portarlington players crashing down around him.
With 10 minutes to go Roscrea had a line-out on the five metre line, they won their ball cleanly and set up the ruck. Alan Tynan went on a solo burst through the opposition back-row forwards. He touched down right in front of the home supporters and they went wild with jubilant celebrations. Portarlington added a late consolation try, and also had to concede their position at the top of the table. Roscrea taking it on points difference, final score 30-15.
We would like to thank all of the club supporters for their backing in 2011 and hope to see you all again in earnest in 2012 for our assault on the division title, which is now surely a realistic target.
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