RAILWAY UNION R.F.C. 22

TALLAGHT R.F.C. 08

Tries: Alan Moore
Pen: Jack Russell

Spencer Pennant Group B
14/09/13 Bird Avenue

After winning their first two games of the season, Tallaght were brought back down to earth by a frustrating defeat to Railway Union in Stillorgan. Tallaght gave away an early try when a kick was charged down for Railway Union to touch down for a 5-0 lead. Tallaght hit back strongly with a powerful maul that was brought down close to the line. Jack Russell kicked a fine penalty to make the score 5-3 but then Tallaght were hit by losing their out-half Ciaran Rudd to a shoulder injury. The subsequent reorganisation in the backline meant they lost their fluidity and some weak defending allowed Stewart Holmes to waltz in untouched for the home team’s second try which they converted to lead 12-3.

Railway Union’s third arrived shortly afterwards and it was a bizarre affair. From an attacking scrum on the Tallaght twenty-two the Railway Union scrum-half fed the ball into the channel but the ball ricocheted straight back into the scrum-halve’s hands from the boot of the hooker. The scrum should have been re-set but instead the scrum-half took off on a run for a try and unbelievably the referee allowed it. All least the Railway Union coaches had the decency to look embarrassed about it. This made the half time score 17-3.

Things improved for Tallaght somewhat in the second half. Jack Russell moved into the backrow and began to make a number of powerful runs. Finally from one of these runs Russell offloaded to young second row Alan Moore who topped off another hard-working display with a well deserved try. The conversion was missed but at 17-8 Tallaght were back in the game. However the optimism didn’t last too long as Railway Union ran in another try out wide to seal a 22-8 win.

Tallaght were disappointed with their performance but there were positives in the intelligent defending of Stephen Heaney, the breakdown work of hooker Ollie Murphy and the excellent first starts of winger Richie Wilson and prop Conor Kelly. The defeat was a reality check that there’s still lots of hard work to be done for them to fulfil their potential but it’s still very early in the season and with the right attitude they’ll get it right.

Tallaght R.F.C.

15 Alan Bernes
14 Richie Wilson
13 Dave Clarke
12 Jack Russell
11 Stephen Heaney
10 Ciaran Rudd
9 Aodhan Tinney

8 Simon Sweeney (captain)
7 Emil Wyrebiak
6 Sam Lawless
5 Alan Moore
4 Paul Cunningham
3 Declan Malone
2 Ollie Murphy
1 Conor Kelly

Replacements

Darran Kearney
John Cowan
James Maher
Aaron Morgan

Jim O’Connor ©