Kilfeacle get new season off to a winning start
Kilfeacle Rugby
Kilfeacle and District R.F.C. 15
Clanwilliam F.C. 6
Clanwilliam travelled to Morrissey Park on Friday to face Kilfeacle and District RFC in the first round of the Mansergh Cup. The game was played with great spirit and commitment with a lot of free flowing moves and running of the ball and Clanwilliam started the better of the two teams. With the breeze at their backs, Clanwilliam's territorial dominance was awarded with a penalty which was duly converted. Clanwilliam did not ease off on the pressure but met with a resolute, skilful and committed Kilfeacle team who were starting to find their feet and come more and more into the game. This was a typical first game of the new season encounter, a very start stop affair, with players only gaining match fitness, getting to know each other, becoming accustomed to new positions, new systems and new calls, coming to terms with new rules and their interpretations.
With halftime looming the homeside started to show some promise and were able to break out of defence and exert some pressure and test the Clanwilliam defence but the best they could muster was a missed penalty attempt. The rest of the first half was played in a stalemate so the halftime scoreboard read 3 points to 0 in favour of Clanwilliam.
Although trailing by 3 points at half time, Kilfeacle, were optimistic about achieving their goal and coming away with a win as they had weathered the Clanwilliam storm and now had the wind at their backs for the second half. Clanwilliam however were still matching their opponents stride for stride and a subsequent well taken penalty by the visitors saw the scoreboard read 6 points to 0 in favour of Clanwilliam.
The second half started to take shape with Kilfeacle, buoyed by their home support and on the ascendancy. Kilfeacle were now playing with more fluidity but were able to convert their territorial advantage to points on the scoreboard when Shane Looby kicked a penalty. Clanwilliam always looked dangerous and were protecting their lead with some great defensive play. It was midpoint through the second half when Kilfeacle and District gave the home support something to shout about as they took the lead with a well-taken try scored by Packie Bourke after some fine phases of play by the forwards. The subsequent conversion attempt failed so the scoreboard now showed the homeside leading by 8 points to 6.
Clanwilliam were finding it difficult to stem the tide and Darren Lowry popped a lovely pass to the on rushing Stephen Flood (it isn't often the words rushing and Stephen Flood are used in the same sentence) who went over to score a hard earned but well deserved try, which Shane Looby duly converted. To give Clanwilliam their due, their never say die attitude meant that the final 10 minutes was a hard fought period of play in which neither side could gain the upper hand. Kilfeacle had amounted a lead that would remain that way until the final whistle.
Kilfeacle had good spells when they were playing as a unit and areas such as the lineouts, scrummaging and ball handling were impressive at times. The atmosphere among the squad is very positive and training sessions have been very productive but everyone knows that there is still a lot of work to be done. What is most encouraging is the fact the underage system within the club and all the hard work put in at grass roots level by our underage coaches and trainers is now having a huge positive impact on the first team. Players who deserve a mention along with those already mentioned are Jack O’Sullivan and Darren Lowry.
Our next competitive action is in the Munster Challenge Cup against Ballincollig RFC on Sunday, September 12 in Morrissey Park, Kilfeacle and we hope that we will see many of our supporters there to cheer us on, as this will be a very tough game against Ballincollig as we defend the Cup we won last season.
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Weather for Clonmel
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 4 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 6 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South
