Clonakilty V St Senans MJL Division One

Munster Junior League Division 1 25/09/16
St Senans made the long drive to Clonakilty on Sunday last to kick off this year’s Munster Junior league Division one campaign. Senans collected the four points with an 5 point victory over a well drilled Clonakilty side.
The opening quarter was tough and competitive with both sides testing each others defences but with both sides defending well it was left to the kickers to clock up the points from Penalties. Clonakilty aided by a strong wind were 6-0 up after 21 minutes with two penalties kicked from Senans 22 yard line. Senans attacked straight from the kick off from the 2nd penalty and moved the ball really well with Martin Corbett making the hard yards to bring Senans into the Clonakilty 22. Tom Cronin was spinning the ball quickly from the base of the rucks, Senans moved the ball out wide with Brian Collins unlucky not to go in for a try but he did recycle the ball well getting the ball out to his brother Declan Collins who offloaded to Ian Fitzgerald who went under the posts for the first try of the game. Declan Rowe converted and Senans lead 6-7. Senans maintained the pressure against a strong wind keeping the ball in hand with Dan Mulcahy and Niall Mallon making the hard yards. Senans were rewarded with this pressure with a penalty in first half injury time but Declan Rowe was just wide with a difficult kick. This did not deter the Senans pack who maintained the pressure in injury time. Shane Kelly on his first league start for Senans collected the ball from the kick off and made some good yards before offloading to David Webb who set-up the next ruck. Cronin whipped the ball out to Gearoid Condron who offloaded to Shane Thompstone , Thompstones quick play through the hands left the ball out to Brian Collins who ran in the second try of the day for the visitors , Rowe added the extra two points and Senans took a 6-14 lead into the half time break.
Clonakilty started the brighter in the second half and were rewarded after only 6 minutes when after a good lineout led to them mauling the ball over for their first try of the game, the conversion was wide and the gap in the score was narrowed to just 3 points with the visitors leading 11-14. Senans rallied and decided to change up things a bit with Rob Sheedy replacing Kelly who had a great first start for the club and Jake Egan replacing David Webb. It would be Senans who added to their lead when Dale O Loughlin kicked a massive penalty from the halfway line to extend the Senans lead to 11-17. Clonakilty attacked the Senans line but great defence kept the home side from crossing the whitewash. Instead it looked as if Senans would score a breakaway try when the Clon forwards spilled the ball with the sharp minded Jake Egan collecting the ball and sprinting from inside his own half for the Clonakilty line, but unlucky for Egan the speedy Clonakilty prop caught him before he could reach the line. Senans maintained the pressure with Fergal Lawlor and Rob Sheedy making the hard yards aided by Neal McDonagh in the loose, this pressure was rewarded with Declan Rowe dropping a goal on the 31st minute, giving Senans a 9 point lead with 9 minutes remaining. Rowe added another three points just 4 minutes later with penalty to give Senans a 11-23 lead. However it would be the home side who had the last say in the game when they ran in a injury time try which was converted to leave the final score at 18-23 to the visitors.
Senans host Muskerry on Sunday next in Jimmy Slattery park in Shannon for the next game in this year’s league campaign.

Senans: Shane Kelly, Fergal Lawlor (Capt),Dan Mulcahy,Gearoid Condron, Martin Corbett, Niall Mallon, David Webb,Ian Fitzgerald, Tom Cronin, Declan Rowe,Dale O Loughlin,Declan Collins,Emile Maffiet, Brian Collins, Shane Thompstone
REP: Neal McDonagh for Webb, Rob Sheedy for Shane Kelly, Jake Egan for Fitzgerald,