Clondalkin 16 - 11 Stillorgan<br />
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J5 League - 31 Oct 09<br />
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The J5 team had their 3rd match of the season away to Clondalkin.<br />
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The Squad made their way via Bewleys car park for a 1pm team meeting. After everyone arrived there was a discussion about the game plan a few team changes they set off for the short trip to Kingswood. Unfortunately the convoy got seperated and some of the team were a little longer in getting to the ground.<br />
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Order was restored by 2pm and everyone wento onto the pitch for a good warmup. Another shuffel and the starting team was back to the original.<br />
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The match started off well and a nice sunny day and light breeze. <br />
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On 6 minutes Stillorgan got a penalty which was converted by mark. 0-3<br />
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This was followed on 9 minutes by a try from Clondalkin out wide which they failed to convert. 5-3<br />
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on 12 minutes stillorgan setup a ruck inside the Clondalkin half and after some good hands form the backs Norman scored in the corner. Unfortunately this went unconverted to leave it 5-8.<br />
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About now the heavens opened. But this match continued.<br />
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Clondalkin got more into the game but Stillorgan defended well. But the ref did not see things our way at times and gave Clondalkin penalties on 16 and 22 minutes whic they converted.  11-8.<br />
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Stillorgan rode their luck a bit from here on. Clondalkin passed the ball wide only for their winger to drop it a foot short of the line.  They did not make the same mistake a few minutes later when they again scored out wide on 33 minutes. 16-8.<br />
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Stillorgan managed to get back up the pitch and get another penalty at the stoke of half time for 16-11.<br />
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Both teams squeezed out their shirts and got ready for the second half and were all lined up for the kickoff but we lost the ref. He arrived a few minutes later with a new shirt on ready for the onslaught.<br />
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I\\\'m not sure what happened in the second half. There was more rain and personnel changes. It became a tight affair. It seemed that every time we took the ball into contact we turned it over. Our defending improved with some good hits but we never managed to get the ball wide. We threatened their line on a few occasions but the refs idea of hands in the ruck depended on which team\\\'s hands were in there. Even Clondalkin were a touch embarassed with some of the decisions and stuff he missed.<br />
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The second half ended without any score.<br />
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It was a fery dissapointed team which left the pitch for their first league win.<br />
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Training Tue and Thur for all. A lot fo work to be done before next week\\\'s game.<br />
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Match Report by Gerard Cregan