Buccs record convincing win in new season opener

BUCCANEERS enjoyed a comfortable 41-3 victory in their first competitive outing of the season when they had too much strength, options and fitness levels in most departments against a spirited Connemara outfit when the sides met in the opening round of the Connacht Senior League at Dubarry Park, Athlone, on Saturday. The comprehensive winning margin at the end perhaps flatters Buccs' whilst also not being a fair representation on the Blacks' efforts' throughout a closer contest than the scoreline suggests. However, there is no doubting that Buccs were the far superior squad, yet both clubs will take positives from this match. Both sides fielded what could be described as experimental line-ups, the hosts rejigging mainly due to close-season departures and the visitors missing a number because of a wedding on the Atlantic seaboard! The midlanders fielded a mainly youthful starting XV backboned by seasoned and proud performers such as Garreth Halligan, Alex Hayman and Colm Rigney that gave the youngsters a necessary cutting edge and belief. In the pack, props Conor Higgins and new arrival Martin Staunton were rock solid while flankers Padraig Burke and Sean Stapleton staked early claims for squad berths. James Tormey and Anthony Hughes did most of what was asked of them at lock. The backline had a fairly unfamiliar look about it with Paul Harte operating in the pivotal out-half role that has proved problematic for Buccs in recent seasons. Here he partnered Michael Donohoe whose laid-back place-kicking yielded four out of six successful conversions plus a penalty. Gavin Kelly looks like being utilised in the centre due to the dearth of backs and he acquitted himself well and notched a brace of tries. Billy Henshaw, Cormac Sheehy and Terry Hynes were a quite youthful back three with Henshaw looking most comfortable at this level. Bernard Keaney rolled back the clock for the visitors for his 18th season at Senior grade and showed he still has much to offer to the men from the west. Sean Joyce, on whom much of their aspirations were resting on at standoff, had a quiet outing while centre Paddy Madden was Connemara's outstanding contributor on this occasion. The opening quarter was typical start-of-season fare. Misdirected passes, handling errors and over-cooked kicks, and 14 minutes had passed before the first score arrived, a fine Donohoe penalty from the ten-metre line. Nine minutes later, Buccs shoved Connemara off their own put-in inside the visitors' 22 and Donohoe fed Kelly who did well to force his way through for the first try. Donohoe missed his rushed conversion before Sean Joyce reduced the margin to 8-3 with a 26th minute penalty. Just after the half-hour mark, Kelly scored another well-taken try after good work by Halligan in the build-up. Donohoe converted while Joyce missed a straight-forward penalty just before half-time at which stage Buccs held a 15-3 advantage having played with the breeze to their backs. Joyce's place-kicking woes continued shortly after the restart and those two penalty misses really needed to be converted by the Blacks. Buccs then won a Connemara line-out near the visitors' 22 and the ball was moved smartly to Burke and the young forward showed decent power and composure to surge over for a 53rd minute try which Donohoe converted. Hayman scored the try of the match at the three-quarters stage, backing himself on more than one occasion to outwit and outpace the Connemara cover in a magnificent break from inside his own half. Donohoe converted before Buccaneers showed that they could score too when being less direct, Henshaw wrong-footing the defence after a patient home lead up to try No. 5 wide on the right. Hayman completed the six try tally four minutes from time, Donohoe's conversion rounding off the 41-3 scoreline. BUCCANEERS: T.Hynes; B.Henshaw, A.Hayman, G.Kelly, C.Sheehy; P.Harte, M.Donohoe; M.Staunton, G.Halligan, C.Higgins; J.Tormey, Anthony Hughes; P.Burke, S.Stapleton and C.Rigney (captain). Replacements used:- B.Gilligan (for Higgins, h-t), Adrian Hughes (for Halligan, 58 mins), B.McManus (for Tormey, 61 mins), G.Walsh (for Hynes, 62 mins) and D.Egan (for Stapleton, 70 mins). CONNEMARA: E.Burke; M.Conroy, P.Madden, M.Joyce, P.O'Toole; S.Joyce, D.Clancy; K.Barry, A.Price, E.Ferrons; S.Nee, D.Sweeney; B.Keaney, K.Kelly and M.O'Malley. Replacements: D.Little (for Kelly) and C.Casey (for Burke). REFEREE: Dave O'Brien (Connacht).