Published: Friday, 18th December, 2009 10:44am

Coffey helps Buccs U-21s to overdue win

BUCCANEERS 15 BRUFF 9

BUCCANEERS U-21s finally recorded a long overdue victory in the South-West Conference National League when they defeated Bruff 15-6 in a hard-fought encounter at Dubarry Park, Athlone, on Saturday. This was a crunch win for the homesters in a real dogfight contested mainly in the forwards trenches.

Although underfoot conditions were understandably a bit soft, it was an otherwise ideal afternoon for this battle. Bruff opened the scoring with a penalty before Buccs replied midway through the half with a magnificent solo try by Ian Coffey, who outmanoeuvred a handful of opponents en route to touching down under the posts for an inspiring score. He duly converted and also kicked a penalty to give Buccs a tenuous 10-3 half-time advantage.

Bruff kept in touch with their second successful penalty but Buccs responded when David Fagan initiated a fine backs handling move that put Conor Molloy in for a try wide in the corner. Bruff battled passionately but Buccs restricted them to a penalty with the last kick of a match that boiled over on a number of occasions. The referee did not keep a sufficiently firm control of the proceedings and, following a protracted melee, issued a red card to a player from each side.

Shane O'Neill revelled in the exchanges, Jack O'Carroll put himself about well and Tom Nolan carried some good ball in a hell of a forwards' duel. All-rounder Coffey is swiftly developing as a promising rugby player while Molloy was another back to impress on the day. However, it was a win at a cost with John Hayes and Eoin Doolan sustaining nasty injuries and both players are wished swift and full recoveries.

BUCCANEERS: I. Coffey; C.Molloy, E.Doolan, C.Draper, J.Byrne; D.Fagan, A.Hyde; L.Doran, D.Egan, T.Nolan; K.Headd, S.O'Neill; J.Hayes, J.O'Carroll and P.Robinson (captain). Replacements used:- C.Hanly (for Doolan, inj.), R.Byrne (for Hayes, inj.), J.J. Carey (for Doran).