U16 Match Report: Birr 36 – 0 Portarlington
Port U16 boys travelled to Birr RFC on Sunday for their first Plate game, and it was a tough day at the office against a strong Birr side. Port struggled to get going early on, and Birr ran in two tries in the opening six minutes. Our defence was really tested by a sharp Birr attack, but the lads kept battling away and never stopped working for each other. Port tried to get inside the Birr 22, but an interception let Birr pick the gaps and add two more tries before half-time, leaving the score at 24–0. It was a difficult first half, but there were plenty of brave tackles made and the boys never once dropped their heads.
At the break, a few honest words of encouragement from their captain saw a much better Port side come out for the second half. The boys contested more ball, got their set pieces under control and started to put some pressure on Birr. The forwards worked hard at the breakdown, and the backs looked sharper with ball in hand, showing glimpses of what this group is capable of. Despite getting close to the line on a few occasions, Birr controlled the second half and ran in two further tries. Seventeen minutes into the second half, an injury to a Port player brought an end to the game, with the final score 36–0. We wish our injured player a speedy recovery and hope to see him back on the pitch soon.
It was a hard game, but the lads did us all proud by never giving up and keeping going right to the end. Days like this are part of the learning, and there’s plenty to take into training this week. That attitude will stand to them for the rest of the season.
Thanks to Birr RFC for their hospitality, and to all the parents and supporters who made the trip to cheer the boys on.

Man of the Match: Jack Penston for consistant work rate throughout the game.
Outstanding Performance: Ben Kelly Drennan, Michael Owens, Devin Flood, Darragh Donnelly(C), Bradley Cooper(VC), James Redmond, Thoma Mc Grath,
Great Support Play: Ciarain Moore, Harry Robinson, Jack Mc Donald, Mark Finlay, Kyle Kelly, Edward Feehan, Tadgh O Connor, Sean Fitzpatrick, Luca Hynes, Niall Malone, Sam Petriw
Special Mention: Tom Coen, who once again led from the front and was always willing to take the game to the opposition.
Team: Luca Hynes, Michael Owens, Thoma McGrath, Seán Fitzpatrick, Mark Finlay, Bradley Cooper (VC), Edward Feehan, Harry Robinson, Ciaráin Moore, Ben Kelly Drennan, Darragh Donnelly (C), Kyle Kelly, Jack Penston, James Redmond, Thomas Coen, Sam Petriw, Devin Flood, Tadgh O’Connor, Niall Malone, Jack McDonald.
(Archive Photo)