Leinster League Div 2A

Sunday 11th November 2018

Shay Murtagh Park

Mullingar 10

Wexford Wanderers 25

By Finian Coghlan

If ever an outfit deserved the Jeckyll and Hyde moniker then the Mullingar 1stXV that turned up here on Sunday afternoon deserve to have it tattooed across each butt cheek. After what should have a season turning bonus point win on the road in Sandymount last week, they bumbled, fumbled, fouled and fell at nigh on every opportunity, and even handed Wexford a shocking bonus point at the death when a prop of all people ran in their fourth from the 22 without hardly a hand on him. For very good reasons I steered well clear of Crozzers and Derek at the end.

And queerly, it all started so positively as the likes of Glennon, Quinn and Dunne took the carries through the gain, whilst the speedsters of Rock, McGivney and Wallace threatened with almost every possession. It took 12 minutes of concerted Mullingar pressure to pay off on the board when Wallace cooly slotted his first kickable. It lasted all of three minutes. Mullingar won their own scrum inside their 22 and went wide but were ripped of possession in midfield and their 8 capitalized under the sticks. They added another three shortly after to go 10-3 up and Mullingar looked in trouble, but Ben Glennon had other ideas.

In the 21^st minute he manufactured a superb rip and rob just outside their 22 and found half a hole with Wally on full steam outside. For once the hands stuck and he scorched in for a relieving equalizer. Mullingar now tried to push on, and they went hard for the advantage. Rocky was first to frighten but was just forced into touch. Next, after a huge TC hit Brabby released Eoghan Moore into empty acres but was cruelly pinged for a forward pass. But then, just as they were looking forward to the break, the old failing of switching off switched on again.

In the 40^th minute Wexford put together a couple of nondescript phases that should’ve been easily defended, but somehow the home defence was easily fooled by a couple of telegraphed twists and turns, and when coupled with some gick tackling gave Wexford a 15-10 half time lead.

Quinner again proved his Lomans’ credentials from the re-start, and Ben Glennon went through the gain and smuggled the pill out to Wallace down the left line, but he was beaten to the reward on his kick-chase by the trimmings of his fingernails.

But as the half progressed the old habits began to seep through again, and a fairly handy Wexford side took full advantage.

After stealing another Mullingar line-out in the 19^th minute they ran with intent and once they slipped through Brabby the corner was open and taken for 20-10. Ennis and Nally were now sprung from the bench and they assisted with putting together a couple of phase before their side coughed up easy possession again for Wexford to clear with ease. With three left on the clock Mullingar made a last foray into the Wexford 22 and TC tried a crossfield ball for Moore in the far corner but there was just too much mustard on it for the Downs flyer to capitalize. Then, in the dying minute, Mullingar again conceded silly possession in midfield and Wexford hacked on with intent.Wally and Dan Gilleran just about tidied but managed to provide a platform five metres out for a clearance kick. Unfortunately the ball didn’t reach touch and fell into the bread basket of their prop who couldn’t believe the path of emptiness provided in front of him and he sauntered in jauntily for their bonus score. There was one more little spark in injury time when Wally finally guessed right on an intercept reach in his own 22 and looked like he might have just enough but for a brilliant covering chase and tackle by their 11 put him into touch just five out and the ref then called it.

Forthcoming fixtures.

The men have a two week gap to lick their wounds before travelling for a tricky fixture in Portlaoise on the 25^th, while the women have to face another night under lights this Friday (TBC) with a re-fixed away game to Clondalkin, before they travel to Wicklow also on the 25^th.

 Team:: 1.  Johnny Moran, 2. Alex Midic, 3. Darren ‘Daz’ Brady, 4. Ben Glennon , 5. ‘Cheddar’ McNay, 6. Darach Geraghty, 7. Cormac Dunne, 8. Daryl Quinn, 9. Arthur Brabazon, 10. Thomas ‘TC’ Campbell, 11. Anthony McGivney, 12. Alan Brabazon, 13. Ronan ‘Wally’ Wallace, 14. Eoin Moore, 15. Sean Rock. Subs used: Ed Nally, Cillian Kavanagh, Sean Ennis, Danny Gilleran.

Overall Club Try scorers (as of Nov 11): Nikki Feery (4) Eoghan Moore, Ciara Wynne, Stewie Flynn, Wallace (3) Alan Brabazon, Daniels, Arthur Brabazon, Glennon, (2) Quinn, TC, Alex Midic, Fitzpatrick, Sean Rock, Darech Geraghty, James Neale, Gilleran, Cooney, Stacey Boland, Paul Smith, Paula Lafferty.