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Home · Senior 3rd XV · Clondalkin J4 Victorious
Clondalkin J4 Victorious
Scully Cup FinalJonny Stapleton
Writen Sunday 10th May
Portlaoise 21
Clondalkin 56
The champagne was flowing both on and off the pitch in Portlaoise last
Saturday, after rugby of the champagne style enabled Clondalkin’s third
team celebrate a Scully Cup final victory and in turn champagne of the
drinking kind.
Clondalkin produced a marvelous display of running rugby and come back from
two tries down to break the half century mark, register a comfortable final
reverse and claim the clubs only senior silverware this term.
For the first time in over twenty years the Gordon Park club fielded a
third string on a regular basis. And after impressing en route to the J4
league quarter final, which they eventually lost to a classy Blackrock
outfit, the thirds or ‘Saturday Firsts’ as they are affectionately known
eventually claimed the silverware their season deserved.
Indeed it was a fitting end to a very successful campaign for a side that
has played a huge part in reinvigorating the club this term.
“Credit for this victory and such a good third team season must go to John
Sid Stapleton. They have worked hard all season and the thirds have been
brilliant. The game today phenomenal as was the result. It was great to see
some of the mature players give a vintage performance and the young give
such a spirited display,” club President Winston Jebb said after the game.
A seven try salvo or spectacular 56-21 score line in favour of Clon
certainly didn’t look on the cards after the host, Portlaois made the
brighter start.
Clondalkin struggled to keep the ball or build phases and in the opening 15
minutes.
In fact their only excursion into the opposition half came ironically after
a punt up field from prop Ken McMahon.
As a result the hosts found themselves 14-3 to the bad and but for some big
hits from Paul Hickey and tackles from the likes of Paddy Burke, Eamon
Stapleton and Rob Dever the visitors line may have be breached on more than
one occasion.
Things seemed to be going from bad to worse as scrum half Brian Berry had
to be subbed after he broke his arm. Clondalkin, however regrouped and
starting employing the brand of rugby that has seen them attract a large
following in what was literally their inaugural term.
Captain Jeff Gallagher ensured good Peter Fitzgerald work didn’t go to
waste by tacking over a penalty.
A moment of back line brilliance then brought Clon back into the game and
literally turned the tie on its head.
The clubs all time top scorer, Paul Fitzgerald broke the Portlaois line
skipped through two tackles before feeding his potential successor as the
clubs most exciting finisher, Gary Donnelly.
Donnelly held his nerve and put Peter Fitzgerlad, who had one of his best
ever games in Clon colours, into a gapping hole. The speedy winger then
proceeded to finish off the move of the match.
That score reinvigorated the visitors and they took the lead within a
matter of minutes.
The forwards laboured their way into the opposition half and Gallagher, who
was now standing in at out half, intelligently decided to test the Laois
outfits midfield once more.
This time Donnelly benefited racing through before finishing in style via
two outrageous side steps to make 20-14.
At this stage Clon were rampant and veteran Stapleton, Cumminsky and Peter
Fitzgerlad were all denied as Clon piled on the pressure, but it wasn’t
long before Clon went further ahead.
A super tackle from the evergreen Stapleton saw the ball spill to Paul
Fitzgerald. The man, who has now scored crucial tries in two major finals,
pounced and left the chasing pack looking as slow as Ronan O’Gara when he
puffed after Brian O’Driscol in the Heinkien Cup final, and as bemused as
the Munster out half when he met the queen.
Clon went into the interval happy with a 27-14 lead but there was no let up
after the turn.
Gallagher added another three within minutes of the restart, via a cleanly
hit penalty, and Clondalkin continued to extend their lead.
James Kelly finished off another slick move when he ignored a three man
overlap to power over from five yards after more devastating Donnelly work.
It was fast becoming a case of that old back line magic as Clon began to
put width on the ball to great effect thanks in particular to Alan Hickeys
brilliance at the base of the ruck, but the contribution of the pack should
not be over looked.
Chris Gunning, who was later revealed as the man of the match, had a
mammoth second half, Paddy Burke continued his one man mission to prove not
all forwards are intellectually challenged and the likes of Hickey,
Cuminsky, Kelly, Dever and McMahon all put in valuable shifts.
But after seven trips across the white wash the back line were always going
to grad the head lines. Center Stapleton registered score number five after
a brilliant chase and tackles from the Fitzgerald brothers.
The hosts did enjoy a small period of dominance and despite some brave and
determined defending by Clon, PortLaois managed to register a consolation
try.
Clondalkin, however, were determined to go out with a bang and continued to
impress. They pressed for more scores late on showing a level of fitness
that was called for 759 times a minute at a recent players meeting.
A rip and drive by 46 year old Stapleton inspired score number six. Paul
McDermot, was the benefactor of another fine Peter Fitzgerald run. After
having his sin bin resting he had enough energy to keep up with the winger
and touched down to make it 49-21.
Gallagher, who was playing his last game of rugby before going into
refereeing, missed his first kick and the chance to bring Clon over the 50
mark.
The half century barrier was eventually crossed though, despite Karl
Horan’s failure to finish from two yards. Fittingly it was the flying Peter
Fitzgerald raced under the posts after a Gallagher inspired break rounding
up the rout in the process.
Added by admin May 15, 2009 (3:45PM)
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