Senior Mens 1sts
Matches
Sun 29 Sep 2019
Portarlington Rugby Football Club
Senior Mens 1sts
25
22
Dublin Dogos
First league win secured

First league win secured

Cormac Smith30 Sep 2019 - 10:03
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Portarlingtons league campaign back on track with their first win.

Portarlington 1XV got their League campaign back on track with a hard fought 25-22 win over a determined Dublin Dogos team. On a sunny afternoon, with the pitch in great nick despite the heavy overnight rain, made for an open and expansive game with both team teams looking to put the ball out wide. Some fluid movements early on saw both team making some clean lines breaks with Chris McCormack prominent. Port got the score board started following great work from the forwards and a charge in the centre from Milly Mulhall the space was created for Andrew Evans to go over. The Dogos responded with their own try following a period of slick handling from their dangerous back line. This try was following shortly by another score form Port when Evans went over from short range to give Port a 10-7 lead with 20 mins gone.

The Dogos were coming more into the game and expanded their defence to nullify our attacking options out wide. Their big second row was proving difficult to handle and made some eventful charges however despite this despite this, it was the Port men who scored again when Simon Doggett broke the defence to score again with the conversion missed, Port lead 15-7. The visitors continued to press in attack but some great defence from the pack with captain Aaron Ryan, Keelan Hunt and the back row of Phil Dowling, Joander Brazon and Stephen Oakley making numerous tackles from close ranges, half time came with Port leading 15-7.

The second half started with a poor restart putting Port under pressure and with the visitor confidence was on the up, they continued to press for a score. Changes were made and despite the fresh bodies it was the visitors who got the next score with a converted try closing the gap to one point. This seemed to spring the home side into action and they went on attack, ball was at a premium out wide but inroads were being made in the tight and with both teams not giving an inch. Eventually the pressure told nd Mulhall went over for the bonus point try which was converted by Evans for a 22-14 lead, The Dogos were still very much in the game and it took some fine tackling to deny them another score but they were rewarded for their efforts went there were awarded a penalty on the 22 with Port caught offside. It was converted to leave it 22-17 with 15 to go. Port then went on the offence and broke down the field and the visitors conceded a penalty in front of the posts which O’Hora scored to leave the score at 25-14.

This score allowed the visitors to restart deep into the Port half which the home side failed to retain, this led to a sustained period of pressure and despite some fine close in defence from Aaron Maher, Conan Uphill and Declan Hennessy, the visitors eventually score out wide with the conversion missed this left the score at 25-22 with a minute to go. The visitors side did manage to make one final attack but the home side held on for a fine League win.

Aaron Maher, Fintan Murphy, Conan Uphill, Keelan Hunt, Aaron Maher, Phil Dowling, Jolander Brazon, Stephen Oakley, Paddy Hyland, Kieran Hyland, Andrew Evans, Ross Doyle, Chris McCormack, Simon Doggett, Stephen Mulhall.
Reps: Conor Houlihan, Darren O’Connor, Sean Higgins, Declan Hennessy, Rory Bracken, Cormac O’Hora, Glenn Hassett, Mark Petriw, Stephen Carroll, Reece Cuddihy.

Match details

Match date

Sun 29 Sep 2019

Kickoff

15:00
Team overview
Further reading

Team Sponsors

Website Sponsor  - SEEC
Senior Team Sponsor - Powerhouse Gym
Senior Team Sponsor - The Wine Buff