Cup Specialists Tullamore Advance To Semi Finals
Thursday, 1 December 2011
Academy 3. Tullamore 21.
On a most miserable day with gale force winds and heavy rain in Belfast, Tullamore had a convicing and well deserved win in this Quarter Final match. The win puts them into the semi-finals with Monivea, Westport and Coleraine. While the draw has yet to be made ( Thursday morning) the semi-finals are fixed for the 4th Feburary 2012.
Tullamore played against the elements in the first half and were soon defending. Within four minutes the pressure told and a penalty was conceded under the posts for offside that was converted. The visitors began to dominate possession and gradually got a foothold in the opposition half. A magnificant rolling maul of 30 metres took Tullamore into the home 22 and when the ball was let out, Aaron Deverell cut inside his man and David Clavin took the pass to score a try. Odhran McIntyre kicked the conversion into the wind.
In the last ten minutes of the half Academy cut the lead to a minimum with a penalty. A feature of the penalty taking was that a player had to hold the ball on the kicking tee for the kicker. At 7-6 up at half time Tullamore owed a big thanks to a dominant pack who controlled the game and to full back Brian Geraghty who held every ball kicked at him in the swirling wind.
The second half with the wind was expected to be easier for Tullamore but Academy defended well and played better than they did in the opening half. When Tullamore won a penalty out wide they decided to kick for the corner, won the lineout and mauled over with the try credited to Adrian Hanley. Odhran McIntyre kicked a great conversion from the touchline.
Ten minutes later Tullamore repeated the process in the other corner and again Adrian scored with Odhran converting. Tullamore had two forwards sin binned in the last fifteen minutes which disrupted the side but the game was over at this stage.
A very competant and work man like performance on a tough day will only improve this side and with six frontliners back next week there will be great competition for places in the crunch league match at home to Skerries on Saturday at 3.00pm.
Tullamore: 15. Brian Geraghty, 14.Colin Hughes,13.David Clavin, 12.Tom Gilligan, 11.Odhran McIntyre, 10 Aaron Deverell (Capt), 9.Richie Hughes, 1.Tomas Bennett, 2. Cian Glennon, 3.Alvin Bracken, 4.Dave Hanlon,5.Darragh Lowry 6.Jason Clancy, 7.Rob Connor, 8. Adrian Hanley.
Replacements: Paddy Dunne, Paul McNiff, Kevin Browne, Chris Coombsꆱ
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