UCD 28-7 Stillorgan
J4 League - Nov 3, 2007
The faithful parish troops took on the pitch against UCD on a perfect day for rugby (i.e. it wasn't raining). Finding the changing rooms was the first challenge, finding the pitch was the second one and finding Fidel to do the team sheet was... well, taking the pi$$. We started playing up the hill and contrary to the club's tradition, the "Slow Stillorgan Start" (SSS from hereafter) only lasted 10 minutes. The engine started working and even though we conceded an early try which was converted, nobody lowered their heads and kept working and mounting the pressure on the students. The lineouts were working perfectly and it's been confirmed to me through several sources that we maintained a 100% record in that department throughout the match. Well done lads!
Towards the last 10 mins of the 1st half the pack stepped up a gear and mauled UCD well into their territory. Even Sean McCann our scrum half joined in to score a well deserved try for which Barra took the glory and was awarded the game ball at the end of the match in a very emotive ceremony. The try was converted and the score was 7 all.
We camped inside their 22 and it seemed like the effiort would be rewarded by a try as the ball came out of a scrum and was flying out to the backs only to be intercepted by UCD's 2nd centre who ran the whole length of the pitch and as he was already doing the celebration dance just outside our try line, Keavan caught up with him and tackled him on the line forcing a knock on which sent the dozens of Stillorgan supporters in raptures of joy.
The story wasn't all done and dusted though, and after an unfortunate incident in which Niall Coman got injured we dropped the guard allowing UCD to score a soft try on the far side of the pitch.
A combination of mental and physical tiredness settled on the team at half time and with this load on their shoulders the players went back onto the battle. The rucking got soft, with bodies leaning on top rather than blasting their way through except on one ocassion when Paul Walsh came out of nowhere to blow a student into oblivion. We held it together thanks to our ferocious tackling and physical endurance in a match where the ref didn't have a clue about what he was doing. Even the students conmplained by using the word "Ludicrous" as an expletive against the poor workmanship of the man in yellow. UCD scored another try at some point but my memory is not what it used to be so I don't remember when or how it happened.
With 7 minutes to go Bull decided to stop the player taking a quick penalty by sliding into the tackle Rafa Marquez' style which awarded him a yellow card. During an incident in which Sean Mitchell was "outrageously" gouged we carried out the last of our substitution taking out Chubi and sending in John Lynch A.K.A. 'Colm Conway'.A long day at the office for the parish but all around an improvement on last week.
Scattered comments:
- We have to work on out fitness and concentration
- We have to work on the rucks
- The whole team and supporters showed a great fighting spirit to the point that UCD couldn't hear the lineout calls on our side of the pitch
- Tackling, mauling and lineouts were superb
- We had lots of minor injuries that could've been prevented had taping/strapping had been used. Let me know in the future if anybody needs it done before the match as I can do the most common ones.
- We have to start learning one BIG word during the week and use it during the game to impress our viewers with our knowledge et couture.
Reminder:
This week we're playing Bective away with a KO at 11:00. If anybody has a problem with this time and is not available as a result of it let me know ASAP.
For the parish
Match report by Octavio 'El Capo' Hernandez