New look Buccs begin league campaign with a victory

BUCCANEERS edged out Bruff 17-11 in the opening round of this season's Ulster Bank League Division 1B after a lively and absorbing tussle played in perfect conditions at Dubarry Park, Athlone, on Saturday. Buccs had to make a late change with Adam Kennedy an illness victim and he was replaced by Mark Dolan at scrum-half in a young, new look Pirates outfit that had seven U-21s in their starting line-up. Seven was also the number of starters who played in Buccs final competitive game last season (the play-off away to Garryowen) as the Athlone club rebuilds for the future. And the Pirates also fielded seven AIL debutants for the club when substitute Conor Finn was introduced in this Tubbercurry Engineering sponsored match. Bruff had changes in their backline from the last meeting between these sides but their pack was more or less unaltered. They looked the more organised side early on, confidence high on the back of recent good results including a notable scalp at Shannon. The younger home outfit looked nervous in the initial exchanges and lacked some cohesion as quite a number had not played together yet. But in their first real attack of note, they demonstrated their potential when Paul Harte finished off an enterprising home move that involved Alex Hayman and Conor Lavelle for a 13th minute try converted by Jack Carty. Bruff's response was swift, Andrew Cashman finishing off a fine move for a try wide on the right within three minutes. Carty extended Buccs advantage with a 21st minute penalty when Bruff were penalised in a scrum after Kolo Kiripati had blocked down Tom O'Callaghan's attempted clearance, while Tony Cahill missed his conversion kick and a penalty for the Limerick club. In a very lively opening half, Lavelle and Callum Boland were both stopped in quick succession close to the visitors' line as half-time approached. But Buccs suffered a double blow just before the break when prop Denis Buckley was yellow carded for bringing down a maul and Cahill duly tapped over the ensuing penalty. This added salt to Buccs' wounds for they were a mite aggrieved that a Bruff player escaped the sin bin for intemperate use of a boot in the lead up to this score. Nevertheless, Buccaneers led 10-8 at the interval. Bruff, eager to maximise their temporary numerical superiority, piled forward on the resumption and Cahill's 41st minute penalty, after the homesters were pinged for not releasing, nosed them 11-10 ahead. They put the midlanders under fierce pressure for a sustained spell, helped in unusual fashion when Harte was flagged for crossing, the resultant penalty giving them good territory inside the home 22. But somehow Buccs held their line intact, with 'Audi Athlone Man of the Match' Eoghan Grace putting in vital work. Michael Kearney, Hayman and one shuddering David Heffernan tackle ensured Bruff were not going to cross the whitewash a second time, despite the visitors earning some five metre scrums during this period. Having raised the siege when Kiripati plundered possession and then thundered out of the danger zone, the Pirates enjoyed the better chances thereafter against the Munster men who were so hard to break down. Boland knocked on in one promising raid and Harte, Hayman and Kiripati all came tantalisingly close to the visitors' line. With the minimum separating the sides on the scoreboard, the game continued to be very finely balanced. Then Daniel Qualter did particularly well to claim a lineout on 62 minutes and Buccs followed this up with some enterprising play which was finished off in style by the ever eager Lavelle for a try which Carty converted to put the midlanders ahead again. The final quarter was a bit frantic with Buccs ever searching to add to their tally while Bruff continued to search for an opening in the home defence. A kick and chase by Carty almost caught the Limerick rearguard napping just two minutes from the end but Buccs had done enough to secure a hard-earned but merited victory while Bruff got some comfort, securing a losing bonus point for their endeavours. Such was the tightness of the contest that the new 'rolling substitutions' was not chanced by either coach! This young, new-look Buccaneers squad will benefit greatly from this win. They are very much a work in progress at this early stage and for quite a number of them it was their first taste of action at this level. Bruff were a canny, well structured outfit who have added pace in their backline to complement their powerful and experienced pack. But the Pirates stuck to the task on hand, held their own in a valiant forwards' effort, kept their composure, and had that bit extra in their backline where they looked the more likely to score with ball in hand. Footnote One minute's silence was observed before the match in memory of the late Paddy Grogan. Tom and Lil Webster, parents of Martin Webster, and Kerry Sloane, father of Diarmuid Sloane, were also remembered. SCORERS Buccaneers: P.Harte try, C.Lavelle try, J.Carty 2 con + pen. Bruff: A.Cashman try, T.Cahill 2 pen. BUCCANEERS: C.Lavelle; S.Layden, P.Harte, A.Hayman, C. Boland; J.Carty, M.Dolan; D.Buckley, G.Halligan, J.Robinson; M. Kearney, D.Qualter; D.Heffernan, E.Grace & K.Kiripati (captain). Replacements: C.Finn (for Boland, 56 mins), S.Stapleton (for Halligan, 61) and M.Staunton (for Heffernan, temporary 44). BRUFF: T.O'Callaghan; P.O'Brien, B.Cahill, J.Carroll, A.Cashman; T.Cahill (captain), E.Maher; D.Horan, C.O'Regan, G.Collins; B.Morrissey, M.O'Connell; A.Bourke, J.Shine & M.Carroll. Replacements: G.O'Hanlon (for O'Brien, inj. 10 mins), S.Foster (for Collins, 23), G.Leonard (for O'Regan, 56), Collins (for Horan, 56) & Horan (for Foster, 76). Referee: David Keane (IRFU).