Buccs ease league worries with third victory in a row

BUCCANEERS recorded their third successive AIB League Division 1B victory when they proved too strong for UCC on a 18-11 scoreline at Dubarry Park, Athlone, on Saturday. On a fine sunny afternoon, conditions were near perfect apart from a freshening crossfield breeze as Buccs strove for a rare win over College that would keep them above the relegation zone. Both sides were much changed from their pre-Christmas meeting in Cork. However, the midlanders (without any Connacht front-liners) sprang a positional surprise with returning captain Colm Rigney at inside centre in place of the unavailable Brian Touhy. Sean Stapleton was preferred to Billy Henshaw on the left wing on this occasion while the pack, who had performed admirably away to Ballynahinch, was unchanged. Andrew Burke and David O'Callaghan were absentees from the Students' ranks for this Direct Medical sponsored match. Buccaneers were really fired up for this contest and were promptly into their stride. They got a very early chance to open the scoring when UCC went offside but J.H. Potgeiter's third minute 36 metre penalty from the left fell short. However, the full-back was grounding the ball for a try on the left just two minutes later following a wonderful break by Alex Hayman whose awareness made a gap and drew the cover. Hayman then off-loaded to perfection, enabling the young South African to dive over for a try which he was unable to convert from wide on the left. Five minutes later, UCC were caught offside again and Adam Kennedy comfortably slotted over the penalty from the right for a 10-0 lead. Another Hayman break caused further discomfort for the visitors before they were thrown a lifeline after 16 minutes. Hayman (who was hugely influential in the first half) was again involved, collecting a wayward UCC clearance and he lofted the ball back before chasing up to secure possession. However, Kolo Kiripati was one of a number of Buccs players who had made little effort to get back on-side and he dissented referee Olly Hodges' penalty award. The official then brought the award forward which moved the penalty into home territory from where Sean Scanlon's placekick was eventually deemed over the crossbar by the touch-judges. This was a cheap score conceded as Buccs had enjoyed virtually all the possession and territory up to that stage. But Buccs ten points advantage was restored within four minutes. Rigney made a powerful surge that almost led to a try for Stapleton, but UCC strayed offside yet again and Kennedy made no mistake with the penalty at the end of the opening quarter. Shortly afterwards, Paul Harte dumped Brian Derham into touch on the right to end a rare threatening incursion by the Corkonians, before Rigney got in among the visiting forwards to retrieve possession inside the home 22. He soon swopped positions with Kiripati after the Samoan had sustained a head injury and the skipper seemed happier in a more familiar backrow role. UCC had two penalty kicks in the closing stages, Scanlon slotting the first over on 32 minutes but his second effort tailed wide, which was perhaps poetic justice as the award was certainly a debatable one after Conor Lavelle had made a terrific steal. Thus half-time arrived with the game very much in the balance as Buccaneers' 11-6 lead did not reflect their dominance. Stapleton was flagged shortly after the restart but UCC failed to make ground with the resultant penalty. Stephen Burke was now constantly in the thick of the action and his rousing endeavours kept driving his colleagues along. College No. 8 Rob Barry was yellow carded for slowing possession after 53 minutes but Kennedy's very kickable placekick shaved the wrong side of the far upright, a bad blot on an otherwise fine contribution by the young scrum-half. It took Buccs a long time to make their temporary numerical superiority pay but, eventually, they worked an impressive forwards try on 65 minutes. A wonderful maul by the pack brought them within touching distance of the College try-line and, when progress was halted, Padraig Burke picked and drove over for a try at the posts which Kennedy converted for a 18-6 lead that was a truer reflection on the proceedings. College emptied their bench in quick succession and full-back Scanlon made a splendid break on 74 minutes before the ball was spun wide to the right, where Stapleton's crunching tackle halted progress. However, the classy UCC full-back was up in support three minutes later when Ivan Dineen made a searing break and the captain off-loaded to Scanlon for a try on the left. Although his conversion attempt was woeful, Buccs supporters now had an uneasy closing stage to endure but their standard bearers retained possession with composure as they wound down the clock to record a rare, but fully merited, win over UCC. Colin Watters was a worthy winner of the 'Athlone Springs Hotel Man of the Match' accolade in the face of keen competition primarily from Hayman and Stephen Burke. This was again a fine all-round team effort. Organisation and fitness are noticeably greater. Attitude and endeavour were always there in spades but application and focus is now more clinical. Spirit and confidence is rejuvenated, and this self-belief was perhaps best demonstrated in closing the game out after UCC's late score. With Dungannon winning at Ballymena and Ballynahinch salvaging a bonus point away to Old Belvedere, this win was absolutely essential for the Athlone club. It is seriously congested now in the lower half of the table with Ballynahinch on 19 points, Dungannon on 22, Buccaneers crucially one point above on 23, and Ballymena now in dire danger too on 24 points with just one round of fixtures remaining. But Buccs will take great heart from their three successive victories. There is a purpose, energy and camaraderie now about their efforts that will surely serve them well when Young Munster come to town on Saturday week. SCORERS - Buccaneers: J.H. Potgeiter try, P. Burke try, A. Kennedy 2 pens & con. UCC: S. Scanlon try, 2 pens. BUCCANEERS: J.H. Potgeiter; C.Lavelle, P.Harte, C.Rigney (captain), S.Stapleton; A.Hayman, A.Kennedy; M.Staunton, G.Halligan, C.Higgins; P.Burke, J.Tormey; S.Burke, C.Watters, K.Kiripati. Replacement: J.O'Brien (for Potgeiter, inj. 78 mins). UCC: S.Scanlon; B.Derham, B.Dennehy, I.Dineen (captain), C.Crowley; R.O'Sullivan, D.McGrath; B.Cagney, W.Falvey, J.Ryan; M.Linehan, P.Donnellan; N.Barry, S.O'Sullivan, R.Barry. Replacements: B.Slater (for McGrath, 50 mins), W.Walsh (for Derham, 55), N.O'Donoghue (for Ryan, 70), J.Carton (for Falvey, 70), W.O'Donovan (for S.O'Sullivan, 70). REFEREE: O. Hodges (Munster).