Our 2nd XV took to the field against a Wanderers XV who had come to win the Second’s league. They had to win with a bonus point to ensure outright winning of the Div 1A of the Leinster Seconds League. Dundalk were at the opposite end of the League table but for thirty five minutes gave the Landsdowne Road outfit a real fright and if some well worked opportunities had been scored in this period the result might have been different.
The game started well, with David Mc Gee, who was featuring a pink mohican in his cancer fund raising drive, securing the ball for Donal Clare who kicked for touch. Wanderers won the line out and launched a garryowen but they knocked on their own ball. From the scrum we kicked to touch in the opposition twenty two. We secured possession, again kicked ahead but the kick was returned and we were penalised for a dummy throw – in to the line out. Wanderers broke out and they were halted at the Dundalk five metre line by brave tackling and the ball went into touch. Darren Mc Guinness threw a great ball which Dave Fearon took and Wanderers were penalised, giving Donal a chance to relieve the pressure with a good kick.
Following a line out inside the Wanderers twenty two their kick ahead was fielded by Donal who kicked a wonderful ball back to opposition territory but injured himself in kicking. He recovered and ran off the injury. Further attacks led by Gareth Lynch who fielded some kick aheads and ran them straight back at Wanderers kept Dundalk going forward. David Mc Gee and Ciaran Mc Cabe drove forward with great determination and this possession eventually led to Wanderers conceding a penalty. Sam Mulligan’s effort was just left and wide.
The drop off was taken by Gareth Lynch, who immediately ran back at Wanderers and he was supported by great interplay from Robin Mc Gee,Sam Mulligan,Donal Clare and David Mc Gee who released Gareth to bring us almost to the try line, where a dropped pass cost us a certain try. A second similar attack again took us back to the Wanderers twenty two with backs and forwards playing their parts in the wonderful handling. Chris Scully had to come off for treatment with David Mc Guinness coming in for him. Dundalk kept up the pressure with Eamonn Roe chasing down a kick ahead and forcing a line out in the Wanderers twenty two. We took the ball and opted to kick ahead but Donal’s kick went dead. From the drop out Wanderers broke up field despite brave tackling by Donal and Will Matthews.
Dundalk were doing well in the scrums at this point and we cleared to the Wanderers half but Wanderers took the ensuing line-out and attacked across the field where Dundalk tackled and were awarded a penalty, which we kicked for touch.
There followed another break by Gareth Lynch in an inspired period for Dundalk. Wanderers were awarded a penalty and cleared their lines. Dundalk continued to press and were given a scrum for a Wanderers knock on. On the half hour the score still stood at 0-0 despite all the Dundalk pressure. David Mc Guinness took a great ball and a scrum was awarded as he was held up. A poor kick ahead was taken by Wanderers and their scrum half went in for a converted try 7-0 on thirty five minutes. Dundalk seemed to be shaken by this score ,which was against the run of play and a missed tackle saw Wanderers score a second breakaway try within three minutes of the first one. 14-0. Dundalk were awarded a penalty which again went wide. Dundalk attacked again with Robert Shields and Darren but were forced into touch. There was a knock on from the line out and from the scrum Dundalk let the ball out the line but to no avail.
The second half began with a disaster as we lost the ball from the kick off and Wanderers availed of a gap between defenders to score under the posts 21-0. Wanderers had their tails up at this point and they took the kick off but were penalised for going off their feet. Eamonn Roe kicked for a decent line out which was taken by Wanderers and in a following fracas Thomas Thornton and the Wanderers 13 were both red carded. The penalty awarded to Wanderers was kicked to touch in the Dundalk twenty two and from the line-out another missed tackle let Wanderers in for another converted try in the corner. 28-0 and bonus point in the bag for them after seven minutes of the second half. Daniel Mc Guinness, who had just come on,took a wonderful interception but was stopped inches from the opposition line. From the scrum the Wanderers No.8 took a ball from the base of the scrum and broke away to get a line-out in the Dundalk corner. A clearing kick from the line out did not make touch and was taken by Wanderers and led to another converted try 35-0. This was followed by another try 42-0.
Dundalk continued to keep playing and a good scrum saw a good break by Sam Mulligan and Donal Clare recycled to David Mc Gee but a knock on saw Wanderers kick ahead after a scrum. A good return kick from Gareth Lynch put Dundalk into the Wanderers twenty two. . Great line-out work by Dave Fearon and Conor Kane saw a Dundalk drive which led to Conor touching down for a Dundalk score which was not converted.42-5.
Dundalk improved their game and Alan Byrne drove them forward. Donal Clare kicked through on two occasions for Robbie Shields but the kicks went just too far.We were then penalised for an offence in the ruck and Wanderers went down field from the penalty to score in the corner 49-5. A further Wanderers try left the final score 56-5.
We can only imagine what might have been had we been able to take all our opportunities of the first half but the ability to make these chances is in this team and we wish them well in their preparations for the cup encounters to come.
Dundalk:
C Mc Cabe, Darren Mc Guinness, J.Whyte, D.Fearon, R.McGee, T.Thornton C.Williams , D.MGee,S.Mulligan,D.Clare,E.Roe,C.Scully,W.Matthews,R.Shields,G.Lynch,C.Kane,A.Byrne,S.Byrne,David Mc Guinness, Daniel Mc Guinness
