Portarlington U14 Boys travelled to De La Salle Palmerston RFC today with low numbers and several players lining out in unfamiliar positions. Despite this, there was no drop in intensity or commitment — this friendly was approached with the same focus and determination as any competitive fixture.
The team was proudly led out by Captain Sean Fitzpatrick, with first cap awarded to Tommy Walker — a proud moment for both player and squad.
DLSP kicked off, and while Port initially gathered possession, they were forced into touch under early pressure. The opening fifteen minutes were dominated by repeat scrummages, with knock-ons and fumbles from both sides disrupting flow. The Port front row of Jack McDonald, Ciaran Moore, and Tom Coen (VC) showed excellent composure throughout, binding tightly and hinging as a unit at every set piece.
Fourteen minutes in, Port struck first. From a well-executed lineout, Sam Petriw at scrum-half moved the ball swiftly across the backline to Bradley Cooper, who powered down the left wing to cross for Port’s opening try. Cooper calmly added the extras to make it 7–0.
DLSP responded quickly. A turnover at ruck time allowed them in for their first try, levelling the score at 7–7.
Just before the close of the first period, Sean Fitzpatrick had other ideas. From a Tommy Walker ruck on the right-hand side — secured by Jack Turley and Finn Costello — the ball was moved sharply along the line, allowing Fitzpatrick to break through for his third try of the season. Cooper again converted, restoring Port’s lead at 14–7. DLSP answered immediately with a converted try of their own, leaving the sides level at 14–14 at the break.
The second period began with a few positional changes for Port. DLSP raised their tempo and were rewarded with a try inside five minutes, moving ahead 21–14. Port responded with sustained pressure, putting in some key tackles and forcing DLSP back into their 22 on two occasions.
Their efforts paid off when Tom Coen gathered a reclaimed ball from an Aidan Scully ruck, shielded well by Arran Dunne and Oisin Geoghegan. Taking the pass at pace from Sean Kiernan, Coen powered forward — and when Tom goes, he goes. True to form, he drove over just left of the posts. Cooper added the conversion to level the game for the third time at 21–21.
Fatigue began to show in the final period as the lads dug deep to hold off sustained DLSP attacks. Port defended bravely, clearing their 22 and 5-metre lines effectively through their structured set plays. However, with ten minutes remaining, DLSP broke through to score just at the posts. Despite Port’s efforts, the home side maintained pressure to close out the game.
While the result went in favour of DLSP, both teams benefited greatly from a competitive and hard-fought game. Considering the low numbers and positional reshuffles, the effort shown by the lads cannot be questioned.

Men of the Match:
Ciaran Moore, Bradley Cooper, Michael Owens – outstanding work rate and impact around the field.
Superb Performances:
Sam Petriw, Jack Turley, Oisin Geoghegan, Tom Coen, Sean Fitzpatrick, Charlie Merriman, Mark Finlay
Great Support Play:
Jack Mc Donald, Finn Costello, Sean Kiernan, Luca Hynes, Tommy Walker, Arran Dunne, Aidan Scully.

Team:
Jack McDonald, Ciaran Moore, Tom Coen (VC), Finn Costello, Aidan Scully, Arran Dunne, Charlie Merriman, Oisin Geoghegan, Sam Petriw, Michael Owens,Mark Finlay, Sean Fitzpatrick (C), Bradley Cooper, Tommy Walker, Luca Hynes, Sean Kiernan.