Marist sink Garbally to stay in the hunt
Rugby: Connacht Schools Senior Cup
Marist College 22 Garbally College 15
By Eamon A. Donoghue
Marist College did enough to reap the win they needed against Garbally College in conditions more suited to mud wrestling at the Ballinasloe school's grounds last Thursday.
On a sunny but bitterly cold afternoon, the Marist and Garbally had to endure the muddy, wet conditions when playing what was effectively a knockout game. The winner would give themselves another chance to secure a semi-final spot; for the loser, it was always certainly going to be elimination.
We witnessed cars getting stuck in the muddy conditions and the referee needing treatment on a number of occasions. Credit to both teams for performing so well in such conditions.
With so much at stake, both teams were up for the battle and gave it everything. The Marist produced their best display of the competition thus far and Garbally struggled to match the Athlone's school intensity.
Both teams kicked and chased, both tested each other’s fibre with swashbuckling drives and rucks. Garbally, with the stiff breeze behind them, had slightly the better of the territory in the first 20 minutes. But Charlie O’Carroll was easing the territorial pressure on the Marist with some relieving clearances.
Garbally had looked like getting the opening score of the game. Centre Seán Power used his electric pace to cut through the Marist bodies, only to be held up on the line and turned over. From the resultant turnover, Marist went down the other end, threatening the Garbally try line. Then from the ruck, O’Carroll used all his talents to throw a pass out wide and Andrew Henson did the rest, tapping down in the corner. O’Carroll kicked the conversion from out on the sideline.
Backed by the vocal local support, Garbally responded with a Joseph Smyth penalty, leaving Marist 7-3 ahead in the 30th minute. Marist responded almost immediately as O’Carroll kicked a penalty. Then the Marist won a scrum against the head and O’Carroll chipped the ball into space behind the Garbally cover and Thomas McCormack got in for their second try. O’Carroll missed the conversion from out on the right touch line. The Marist deservedly went in at half-time 15-3 in the ascendancy.
Garbally, despite now being against the wind, had the best possible start to the second half. After his side win possession in a lineout, speedster Power again went on a run and this time he got the touchdown for the try. Smyth kicked the conversion and it was now a one score game, with Marist leading 15-10 in the 48th minute.
The Marist though were the bigger and more physical side and they pushed themselves close to the Garbally line once more. After excellent line breaks from Henson and McCormack, each time getting closer to the line, it was forward Rian Claffey that got the touch down. O’Carroll kicked the difficult conversion, leaving it Marist 22 Garbally 10 and time running out on the hosts.
There was an additional eight minutes played at the end of the 70. The referee had got treatment on a number of occasions and there were hold-ups for injuries. Garbally went in search of something from the game a draw would have kept them in the competition and would have most likely knocked the Marist out. But they needed two tries and at least one conversion.
After a number of rucks and mauls, the ball was played wide to substitute Tiernan Finn and the replacement winger touched down in the left corner. They had done one part of their recovery. They needed to nail the conversion but Smyth’s effort sailed wide.
Garbally still had enough time to get the result they needed. They were just one converted try from getting that draw. But the Marist tucked the ball up inside their jersey and kept the final moments tight to see out the win.
Showing resolve and character, the Marist have taken the first step by beating old rivals Garbally. The Athlone side is now preparing for a home game against Roscommon CBS, due to be today (Tuesday) at 1.30pm.
A win in that game would see the Marist qualify for the last four of this year’s Connacht Schools Senior Cup and a clash against Summerhill.
Player of the match: Patrick Egan (Marist College). Egan led from the number eight jersey, driving over the gain line and putting his team on the front foot. Andrew Henson’s willingness to resond to Garbally’s kick and chase efforts, Charlie O’Carroll eye to find space and territory with his kicks, and the swashbuckling Kailin Blessing in the front row were all critical to the Athlone school's win.
Scorers - Marist: A Henson, L McCormack and R Claffey 1 try each; C O’Carroll 1 pen, 2 conversions. Garbally: S Power and T Finn 1 try each; J Smyth 1 pen, 1 con.
Marist College, Athlone: Andrew Henson, Lorcan McCormack, Thomas Cotton, Tom Sheehan, Daniel Reid, James Clarke, Charlie O’Carroll, Kailin Blessing, Evan McMickan, James Heaslip, Matthew Fallon, Rian Claffey, Callum Kelly, Kyle Byrne, Patrick Egan. Subs used: Otega Awhinawhi & Tom Bourke for Fallon & Byrne (h-t), Kyle Mahon for Reid (58 mins), Conor Dowling for McCormack (58), Stephen O’Connor for McMickan (62).
Garbally College, Ballinasloe: Ronan Kelly, Filip Galbarczyk, Seán Power, Joseph Smyth, Eoin Canning, Luke Manning, Corey Waters, David Sposob, Joseph Frehill, James Burns, Killian Blackweir, Gearoid Markham, Niall Jennings, Shane McDermott, Seán Glennon. Sub used: Ryan Smyth for Galbarczyk (h-t).
Referee: Jason Craughwell.