Dundalk v Cill Dara Sat 1st Nov.

Dundalk beat Cill Dara 20-5 in the Leinster League last Saturday.
In what was billed as Dundalk toughest test so far this season the league leaders continued the defence at fortress Mill Road.

In miserable conditions Dundalk took to the field with a changed team to last week’s line up. With injuries to Mike Bently and Johnny Williams Enda Murphy started in second row while Ultan Murphy moved to the 10 position. From the kick off Dundalk won the ball, secured possession, and  rucked and mauled the ball up the field until inside the Cill Dara 22. With a continued and determined drive Dundalk crossed the visitors line, Johnny Gray grounded the ball to score the first try of the game for Dundalk after only four minutes of play. Murphy kicked the conversion and a marker had been laid down.

Dundalk were about the business at hand and would spend the next 80 minutes applying themselves. Tackles from Ene Fa’atau and penetrating runs from Rory O’Hagan kept Cill Dara on the back foot. Initially Cill Dara tried to muscle the Dundalk pack but in poor weather conditions the ball was hard to control. Relentless tackling from Dundalk saw the visitors loose control of the ball time and again. Each time James McConnon was at hand to pounce on the mistakes and secure turn over for Dundalk. Paul Meegan was causing serious disruption to any attempt to structure an attack by the opposition using his strength and range to get amongst the Cill Dara forwards .Ultan Murphy got the conversion, kicked two penalties and Chris Scully scored a wonderful try from lineout ball. Stephen Martin made the initial break and lovely hands from Owen McNally and MJ McKevitt put Chris Scully in space. Despite having two men outside him Chris stepped inside the last defender and showed great pace to beat the cover defence to the line. Ultan Murphy  kicked the conversion. Dundalk now had a comfortable lead and despite their best efforts Cill Dara really only threatened the Dundalk line once during the game. They took a try which they failed to convert. Dundalk  went close late on after a well worked move, ball secured by the forwards was moved quickly through the backs but Stephen Murphy knocked on with the line at his mercy. The game however was well and truly over as a contest. Dundalk retain their unbeaten status and play Coolmine away in two weeks time.

Team 15 Stephen McGee 14 Rory O’Hagan 13 Chris Scully 12 MJ Mc Kevitt 11 Owen McNally 10 Ultan Murphy 9 Thomas Campbell 8 Ene Fa’atau 7 Stephen Martin, 6 James McConnon 5 Paul Meegan 4 Enda Murphy 3 Johnny Gray 2 Lotu Nuku’alofa 1 Robbie Farrell.

 

Dundalk 2nd v Cill Dara Sat 1st Nov.

Dundalk 2nds suffered their first league defeat of the season on Saturday loosing 17-15 to Cill  Dara.

Dundalk, the league leaders, were narrowly beaten by a Kildare side that hadn’t won a game all season. Dundalk opened well, but some ball not quite going to hand and knock on’s gave the visitors more possession than they could have hoped for. The Dundalk pack took the ball into contact using Tiernan Gonnolly and Cathal McCabe, they recycled the ball allowing scrum half Simon Byrne to get the ball away to Eamon Roe at out half. The experienced no.10 varied the play by kicking the ball in behind the Cill Dara defence allowing the Shields brothers, Robert and James, on each wing to use their pace in attack. When the opportunity arose he let loose with the backs using Chris  McGeady to crash through the middle and gain good ground. In the forwards crunching  tackles from Ciaran Lennon and John McGahon stopped any advance in the Cill Dara attack. Continued pressure from Dundalk saw the visitors concede a penalty which Paddy Reilly kicked to put Dundalk in the lead. Shortly before half time Dundalk’s first try came from a ball turned over by Kieran McCabe in the forwards, presented cleanly to Simon Byrne who’s quick pass allowed the backs take the opportunity to attack, again McGeady gained ground and released Eamon Roe who used is pace to round his opposite number and score Dundalks first try which he converted himself.
Going into the second half Cill Dara changed their game plan and elected to keep the ball up front. While perhaps not the most gifted of footballers their dogged determination and brute force approach did nothing for the spectators and the game degenerated into an arm wrestle. This style seemed to suit the visitors allowing them back into the game and through a score and converted penalties found themselves back in the game. Dundalk threw everything at the Kildare side with both forwards and backs, but handling errors in now deteriorating conditions didn’t allow the home side to make any ground and continued dogged determination saw Cill Dara fight their way over the Dundalk line in the dying moments to give them the narrowest of leads. Running out of time and fighting both the opposition and the elements Dundalk didn’t have time to get back into the lead and so it finished with a disappointed captain John McGahon left to rally his team for their next outing against Coolmine in two weeks time.
Team

Kieran McCabe, Sean Arrowsmith, Ciaran Braniggan, Cathal McCabe, Robin McGee, John McGahon, Tiernan Gonnelly, Ciaran Lennon, Simom Byrne, Eamonn Roe, Chris McGeady, Derek Williams, Robert Shields, James Shields, Paddy Reilly.

Subs: Gavin Mullen, Darren McGuinness, Matt Raftis.

Under 12’s Sun 2nd November

Dundalk Under 12’s  were in action at home this week playing host to Malahide. We fielded two strong teams to start and had the better of Malahide in all areas. The locals were simply a much better side and too strong for Malihide . Dundalks direct running by Johna Power, Lee o ‘Carrol, Jake Mc Namara and Dara toner paid off.  Persistent pressure from Dundalk saw Adam Duffy bag four try’s  on the day. James Toal’s passing and  play making was excellent and trys from Lee O’Caroll, James King, Jack Mullroy, Calum Bourton made it a good day for the home squad.

Dundalks ball control was good and the ability of the pack to work as a unit was a feature of the game.

A big thank you to Haughey Pharmacy,  Demense Shopping Centre  for sponsoring the team a full fisrt aid kit which thankfully wasn’t used on the day !

Under 11’s Sun 2nd November

Dundalk Under 11 Sharks entertained sides from Virginia and Clondalkin on a beautiful, crisp Sunday morning at Mill Road. The Sharks were split into two evenly matched sides with the Black Sharks first out against Virginia while the White Sharks played Clondalkin.

The Black Sharks outing against Virginia was a keenly fought affair with the Cavan men enjoying the lions share of the territory and dominating upfront, with the Louth men exhibiting a fine back line display of free flowing passing and running. Dundalk scored 3 great tries through Sam Malone, Conal O’Callaghan and Ciaran Tiernan and were unlucky not to get a fourth through debutant Caoimhin O’Neill who made a powerful run down the left wing but was forced out of bounds inches from the try line. Although Virginia didn’t manage to get over the line during the match they played their part in a keenly fought contest.

The Black Sharks second outing against Clondalkin was more of the same with scintillating running and passing and some slightly underwhelming rucking and tackling. Tries for Dundalk included 2 great Robert Malone tries, 2 super solo efforts from Conal O’Callaghan, a fine effort from Sam Malone and a brilliant first ever try for Ethan Gilligan who continues to impress in only his second match for the Sharks. Clondalkin got 2 good tries.

The White Sharks started against a physical Clondalkin side but we’re well up for the fight. Super back play marshalled by the excellent James O’Connor at scrum half was combined with strong forward play and excellent rucking from the likes of Joseph Pheifer, Peter Rice, Ronan McDonnell and others. Joseph Pheifer kicked off the scoring for the White Sharks followed by three unanswered tries from the irrepressible Kieran McArdle and a superb brace of tries from Milo Moore. Clondalkin scored 2 good tries.

Match 2 for the White Sharks was one dominated by the forwards and was a keenly fought affair. Tries for the Sharks came from Joseph Pheifer, Brian McCahill and Peter Rice and Virginia got 3 good tries also.

Overall it was another good outing for the Under 11 Sharks with the lads looking forward to training at 6:15 on Thursday where a lot of hard work on rucking and tackling will be the order of the day.