Garda (9) vs Clondalkin (6)

Article by Derek Murtagh

Clondalkin RFC got their season off to a disappointing start with a 9-6 loss to the Garda. The annual Paul Caffrey Memorial Cup is for many in the club, the biggest and most important game of the year. It means so much that club veterans Paul Tighe and Paddy Burke even took an active role in pre-season training just to be fit for the game.

As is tradition with the game, Clon fielded Caff’s closest friends in the first quarter and it was their passion and desire that saw them take a 6-0 lead . However, the Guards were never going to be in a charitable mood and seemed intent on claiming the Paul Caffrey Memorial Cup for the first time in four attempts. They sent out an early message when back row come centre Ray Kelly took up a crash ball only to be driven back and into the ground in a very much uncharacteristic way. In fact the hit was so hard that Razor was seen wobbling as he got to his feet. Clon were not to be outdone on the big hits front in first half with Tiggy, Peter Fitz and Ken McMahon all registering bone crunching hits. If the defensive hits were hard in the first half then the attacking runs were even harder with both Garda players and Clon players intent on making big yards. However, it was Clon’s greater discipline that proved the difference as they did not allow the Garda any scoring chances in the opener. Clons scores came by the boot of Alan Hickey and Andy Tyndall. In fact Tyndall is now the player that Conor Maloney aspires to be i.e. an outhalf trapped inside a props body.

Clon fielded their first fifteen in the second quarter and maybe it was the fact that the Guards were up to speed or maybe the fact that it was the first game of the season but the firsts could not assert any sort of domination on the game. What was more worring though is that maybe it was the fact that the 3 most mobile forwards from last seasons, Simon King, Paul Nolan and Mike Ryder were absent on the night but it was worrying that Clon could not show any sort of continuity through the quarter and whats more worrying is that prop Sevin Kelly and second row Dan Fitzpatrick were the ones in support when Clondalkins backline did move the ball. In fact credit has to go to the two boys for improving their fitness over the summer and it has to be recognized that Dan Fitzpatrick registered the highest number of tackles in the quarter. The moment of quarter came when Gary Donnelly ran almost the length of the pitch beating five players on the way before off-loading to Fitzpatrick who knocked on the line at his mercy.

The third quarter seen Alaric Collier’s second fifteen take to the field with a number of new recruits on board. Unfortunately there would be no black magic for Ali’s first game in charge and the seconds were forced to defend bravely for most of their stint on the pitch. Clon defended valiantly for most of the quarter against an opposition that seemed to be hitting their stride. A lot of seconds players will be nursing sore shoulders today none more so than James Kenny who was dumped to the ground in unceremonious fashion when he took a run at the Garda number 9 and who appeared to be in a bad way after. The Guards pressure eventually told and they leveled the game at 6-6 by the end of quarter.

The first fifteen returned to the field for the final quarter with a view to sealing the game in Caff’s honour. Clon applied pressure throughout the period and had a five metre penalty overturned with just minutes left in the game for an indiscretion with the boot when a Garda player came off side to slow the ball down. However, the fairytale ending was not to take place as the Guards sealed the game with a last minute penalty.

In true Paul Caffrey fashion, it was not the result of the game that counted but in fact the night out after the game. His long time friend Ken McMahon put a lot of effort into the night out and had a table booked in Diceys for all the players. However, it’s a pity he didn’t ask for the table to be outside as by the time the players landed in Diceys was full and nobody was allowed in. Party organizer Ken had this to say “I don’t know where it went wrong, I gave them me bank details and all so they should have kept us the table”. Clondalkinrugby.com knows where you went wrong Ken. You gave them your bank details.

On the injury front new recruit Hugh was withdrawn from the game with a suspected shoulder injury. However, clondalkinrugby.com are reliably informed that he was just saving his energy for the hot date he had with Ronan Coopers sister later that evening and that his shoulder is perfectly fine. By all accounts he was on his way to a man of the match performance. He was ably replaced by Kevin Cullen on the night.

Added by Murts August 26, 2010 (12:13PM)

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