Dublin University 0 - Stillorgan 17
J3 League - Jan 11, 2004
A solid win from the Stillorgan boys in wet cold muddy Santry sports grounds. Due to the inclement conditons the J4 game was postponed as it was felt the one playable pitch could only take one match involving overweight players after the Xmas.
SRFC started off as they played throughout by taking the game to Trinity. The skipper got his own game off to super start by winning the toss (the coin toss that is) and decided to play with the hill and wind. This was always going to be a forwards dominated game and so it was with heavy pressure applied early from SRFC but to no avail. 25 minutes of sustained pressure in the Trinity half finally paid off when the ball was spun out to the backs from the base of a ruck and Milky popped up in the attacking line (which was a first) Geordan Murphy style to down under the posts from 15 yards. Trinity came close just before the break but stout defending prevailed and SRFC led 7-0 at half time.
With the hill and wind to face in the 2nd half SRFC got down to brass tax and the forwards, and in particular the back row, gave an outstanding performance and rucked their way throughout the 2nd half pinning Trinity back into their half. Some excellent ball stealing throughout from Jerry and Colin ensured plenty of ball for the forwards who stuck it up their jumpers. Depsite the possesion and dubious first half disallowed try from Danny, SRFC were not to breach the Trinity line again until the 70th minute but Jeremiah Twomey took a quick tap penalty and dived for the line from 4 yards. 12-0 to SRFC. Moments earlier, Stillorgans rampaging prop John thought he had scored his first try of the season after a series of pick and go drives. With great cheers from our supporters, John touched down behind the line and the refereee awarded the 'try'. As every one celebrated it soon became clear that we had only crossed the '22' and were still 22 metres short of the goal-line. Try cancelled. But the party wasn't over yet when captain fantastic picked from the base of a ruck and skillfully bulloched over a few youngfellas that probably only did the Leaving last June from 5 yards to finish the afternoons takings with 17 to nil victory. (Bull Comin at ya!)
Men of the match - Forwards - Jerry, Backs - Hops (for filling in at scrum half)