Clondalkin 4th XV got their Leinster League Division 11 league campaign off to a winning start on Sunday after a competitive match against a big Kilkenny side.
Kilkenny exerted pressure during initial exchanges using their heavy pack which boasted a first rugby outing for Ireland’s strongest man in 2012, James Fennelly. While Fennelly’s bulk and weight were to the fore, the finer ball handling skills required on the rugby pitch were obviously a work in progress. Clondalkin had their very own “rugby virgin” on show in the shape of Matt Walker and he was unlucky not to score a debut try in the first half, which remarkably featured 2 other disallowed scores from Eoin Bracken and John Murphy.
Kilkenny were not as profligate and went into half-time a try up, swiftly followed by a second try after an early breakaway from their pacey centre in the 2nd half. Clondalkin’s eureka moment eventually arrived when they decided to stop trying to take the Kilkenny men on up front but rather kick the ball into the corner and use their superior speed, ball handling and fitness to gain an advantage.
From the resulting sustained pressure, John Murphy , Bobby Smith, and Graham McCarthy all touched down to leave a comfortable gap between the sides at the final whistle. A good start to the season for the Declan Flannagan managed side who will look to build on this result with an away match against Stillorgan on October 12th.
Clondalkin 4ths: Aaron Grogan, Derek Noonan, Edwin Maher, Darren Moore, Stephen Ryan, Jason Radcliffe, Robert Smith, Chris Murray, Aiden Slane, Mark Reddington, John Mooney, Matthew Walker, Gary McTiernan, John Murphy, Eoin Bracken
In other results, Clondalkin 1sts were unlucky to lose their unbeaten league campaign at home to Enniscorthy 18-22 and could point to a apparently-legitimate but disallowed Mark Molloy try as evidence of being hard-done by. Clondalkin 2nds came out 33-24 winners against the same opposition.
