Stillorgan 3 - Old Belvedere 34
J4 League - Dec 14, 2003
With the return of a rake of players from injury, the seconds team had very impressive numbers ready to go into battle for this league clash against Old Belvedere.
1st Half
The game started at a startling pace, and Stillorgan breached the Belvedere defense in the opening minutes, but could just not cross the try line.... Then seven minutes into the game, Belvedere used an overlap to get a try in the corner, which they failed to convert. Despite putting the pressure on again, Stillorgan lost their composure when one of their boys (well done Ronan
Casey) tried to defend himself the "Stillorgan way" and threw a handbag at the opposition around the half-way line because he looked "kinda-funny" at him. The likes of this aggression was alien to the 'organ side, and as they scrambled to compose themselves, Belvedere spotted the disarray, and broke through the centre from a quick penalty to score under the posts - which they converted easily in the tenth minute. The fire in the 'organ bellies was well started now, and 'organ played in the Belvedere half for 95% of the rest of the first half. Under pressure in the twelfth minute, Belvedere conceded the penalty, which our very own Jonny Wilkinson (Hops) converted in true style, and celebrated by landing on his arse in a display of gymnastics that would make any East-German 14 year old girl clap like b'jazus. With the pressure still on, Belovo made one break though, and a certain try saving tackle was made on the wing by Luke Davis in the twentieth minute. 'Organ forced three more kickable penalties in the 25th, 35th and 40th minute, but Jonny Wilkinson's boots were swapped for Dumbo's and we failed to convert any of them. Half-time score: Stillorgan 3 - Old Belvedere 12.
2nd Half
With some team changes made at half-time, 'organ continued to rally well and began to spin the ball out to the backs with great gusto. Belvedere however had other ideas, and they worked their way up the pitch to force an error to claim a penalty in front of the 'organ posts which they converted in the tenth minute. Stillorgan re-applied a lot of pressure, but this did not hit the score sheet. Despite a few more excellent try saving tackles from both wingers, Octavio and Ingo, in the 20th and 32nd minute respectively; Then there was an unbelievable display of rugby ball juggling from our scrum half Jonny and center Donny than I have not seen since Bosco was on the telly. However Belvedere scored some well worked tries in the 26th, 31st and 38th minute to add to their scoring fest. Full-time score: Stillorgan 3 - Old Belvedere 34. A very good set of individual performances from every player on and off the pitch. The final score does not give a true reflection of how close the actual game was. The next step is to work harder as a team to get across the Dublin University try line in our next league game on Saturday 11th January.
We will have a friendly game or two in the meantime.
N.B. The back-room-rules-and-regulation-committee met in a smoky corner of O'Sheas last night, and the rules and regulations and rules pertaining to the try scorer of the year have been modified to exclude any and all intercepts from dodgy opposition backs. This is retrospective, and the back-room-rules-and-regulation-committees decision is final.
The J4 Team: (Hope I didn't miss anyone)
1 Mark "hi-de-hi campers" Fitzpatrick
2 Tom "do you know what I like about you? nuthin" Treacy
3 Noel "on time this week" Cahill
4 Gerry "cool hand" Cregan
5 Keith "jumper" Hegarty
6 Danny "L-driver" Pierce
7 Ronan "my ankle's broken but x-rays later reveal it's only bruised" Casey
8 Niall "I'll play the eighty if ya like" Merrigan
9 Hops "fit as a tin whistle"
10 Fergus "I have to be good at catching - it Hops" O'Neill
11 Luke "Heinz" Davis
12 Donnacha "bosco" Cleary
13 Dave "on loan" Strong
14 Octavio "look, there's me ma and da, and they're freezing their nuts off" Hernandez
15 John "clothes line" Lynch
16 Ingo "me mot slaps me hard across the buttocks with her ruler before a game"
17 Fidel "jesus" Castro
18 Breon "wanna bet" Corrigan
19 Jerry "with a J or I'll stab you" Toomey
20 Leo "slapper-faces" Dillon
21 Gilles "money bags" Breton
22 John "return of the white loaf" Stokes
23 Owain "who/where am I" Davis
24 James "Simons mate"
25 Kevin "Captain Invisible" Curran
25.5 Fergus "running out of names very quickly, but available for selection in February" Cahill