Buccaneers topple leaders in high scoring thriller

BUCCANEERS upset the formbook when they ambushed Belfast Harlequins 37-30 in an absolutely cracking Ulster Bank League Division 1B game played at sunny Dubarry Park, Athlone, on Saturday. Conditions were perfect for this 'Glasson Country House Hotel & Golf Club' sponsored fixture and a wonderfully exciting contest unfolded between two teams ever willing to move the ball. Fortunes ebbed and flowed in a swash-buckling encounter with first one team and then the other taking the initiative. The Pirates will be thrilled to have overcome the leaders as the home squad was missing a huge chunk of first-teamers for a variety of reasons. Shane Layden, Daniel Qualter and Conor Finn are in the Ireland U-20 squad, Martin Staunton was ill, Padraig de Burca is injured while Michael Kearney, David Heffernan and Denis Buckley were in action for Connacht. Consequently, Buccs were well depleted and fielded a very young side bolstered by the returning Eoghan Grace who had played with Connacht on the previous night. Harlequins featured Neil McComb and Adam Macklin who also saw RaboDirect game time with Ulster on the Friday night but were without the injured Rory Scholes. The more experienced and physically stronger Quins would have been expected to prevail especially as Buccs suffered three defeats in their last four matches, two of them at home, but the midlanders got off to a flying start with Mark McCrea setting Paul Harte away on the left but the centre held on to possession just that bit too long. Nevertheless, John O'Brien was soon haring down the opposite flank to squeeze in for a home try after just two minutes. Jack Carty's conversion was off-target but he added a 6th minute penalty to give Buccs a tonic 8-0 lead. The visitors showed what they were capable of two minutes later when McComb fastened on to a loose pass by Kolo Kiripati and it took stout home defending to keep Quins out but they forced a penalty which Ian Porter converted. The scrum-half then broke from a scrum near halfway and found a gap through the Buccs cover for a try which he also converted to put the northerners ahead 10-8 at the end of a lively opening quarter. Buccs responded with some good driving play and the visitors were fortunate to escape a yellow card when they brought down a fine maul by the Pirates while they held James Tormey up on their line in the following phase. Play moved from end to end before the powerful Michael Ferguson barged his way through for a 30th minute try which Porter converted and it looked like the Ulster side would use their greater bulk to good effect from thereon. However, they lost Mark McGrath to the sin-bin following an ill-judged tackle on 32 minutes and Buccs added to their punishment when McCrea surged through for a try at the posts one minute later. Garreth Halligan then turned over good ball to send Harte scampering away but Matt Holmes did very well to get back to avert the danger. However, Buccaneers got in for a superb try in the final move of a frenetic first half. A Quins clearance was blocked down in midfield and richly promising prop Diarmuid Higgins fastened on to the ball to transfer possession to Carty and the young standoff angled a precise diagonal crossfield kick to McCrea, who drew the cover before sending Harte scurrying in for a stunning try at the posts. Carty converted both these tries to give spirited Buccs a 22-17 lead at the break. Buccaneers came flying out of the blocks on the restart too and Grace and Mark Dolan both went close in the opening exchanges before Carty edged them further ahead with a 43rd-minute penalty. Four minutes later, Luke Satchwell and Carty both made sniping breaks that stretched the Quins defence and Grace finished off the move for a well-taken try at the posts to guarantee Buccs a bonus point. Carty's conversion put the Athlone outfit in a very promising position 32-17 ahead. But a fast-flowing Harlequins attack was finished off for a 64th minute try by Myles O'Hagan while Porter's penalty five minutes later set up a grandstand finish with now just seven points between the teams. However, Buccaneers refused to wilt and continued to work feverishly whilst also tackling like dervishes throughout. They still endeavoured to move the ball smartly and some wonderful sustained play was finished off by Conor Lavelle wide on the left for a terrific 77th minute try which Carty could not convert from the touchline. Quins battled desperately to retrieve the situation as Buccs defended heroically but, following Carty's late yellow card, the Ulstermen eventually forged a crucial try in virtually the last move of the game when substitute Macklin got in on the right corner for an unconverted try which secured two precious bonus points for the visitors that keeps them top of Division 1B. Nevertheless, Buccaneers will be well-pleased not only to have won and secure a bonus point in the process but, more importantly, the manner of their victory in flamboyant fashion by such a young, understrength side that refused to stop believing. McCrea was named 'Audi Athlone Man of the Match' but ever busy scrum-half Dolan would have been this observer's choice, while Kiripati too was a force to be reckoned with from start to finish. Shane Reilly had his best outing to date while Grace and particularly Hayman made noticeable impacts following their introductions. Carty and Harte also enjoyed good outings in this performance that moves Buccs up to third and still very much in contention for the promotion battle with just four fixtures remaining. The one disappointing feature of this cracking contest was the paltry attendance. Those who were there won't see a more entertaining or exciting, fast-flowing club game this season. Buccaneers: J. O'Brien; C. Boland, P. Harte, A. Kennedy, M. McCrea; J. Carty, M. Dolan; S. Reilly, G. Halligan, D. Higgins; E. Rooney, J. Tormey; A. Connaughton, L. Satchwell, K. Kiripati (capt.). Replacements: A. Hayman (for Kennedy, 30 mins), E. Grace (for Connaughton, 34), S. Stapleton (for Halligan, 38), A. Kennedy (for Harte, 51), C. Lavelle (for Boland, inj. 57), G. Halligan (for Stapleton, 62), A. Connaughton (for Satchwell, inj. 62), L. Doran (for Reilly, 77), S. Stapleton (for Kennedy, 79 mins). Belfast Harlequins: M. O'Hagan; W. Stewart, M. Allen, M. Kettyle, M. Holmes; O. McMurray, I. Porter; R. Lutton, N. Annett, M. McGrath; G. Rourke (capt.), M. Ferguson; S. Annett, L. Babe, N. McComb. Replacements: P. Rea (for S. Annett, 20 mins), A. Heatlie (for McComb, h/t), A. Macklin (for McGrath, 45), A. Macklin (for Rea, temp. 35-45). Referee: Dudley Phillips (IRFU).