MULLINGAR RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB

BUILDING A COMMUNITY SINCE 1925.

MULLINGAR RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB

BUILDING A COMMUNITY SINCE 1925.

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CHRISTMAS BREAK ARRIVES IN TIMELY FASHION AS INJURIES MOUNT!

December 11, 2018

Leinster League Div 2A

Sunday 11th December 2018

Shay Murtagh Park

Mullingar 5

Cill Dara 26

By Finian Coghlan


If this was to be a yardstick by which progress or the lack of it could be measured, then in that it was successful.
In the last game of the calendar year, and the first of the return fixtures, Mullingar have disimproved by a clear 17 points from the corresponding fixture above in their windy paddock  last September, and are archly grateful for the fact of having two teams in less fortunate league position than them.
In many ways they will be grateful there are no more competitive matches this side of January, as the rest of the first choice front row (Brady and Glennon) joined Johnnie Moran in the crook seats, and it looked like they’ll need the breather afforded.
Sunday’s match was a chance to rein in and leapfrog their visitors, however the five point gap in the table was easily doubled as the Kildare men romped easily to a bonus point win on the road. Looking lively and expansive from the off, Cill Dara took a well-deserved lead within 10 minutes.
Though Mullingar woke up at this point and started a bit of a growl on, they just didn’t seem to have that extra oomph that Cill Dara brought, and this they consolidated within the half hour when the Mullingar midfield parted and their flanker sauntered through before selling a large one to McGovern and dotting under the sticks.
Mullingar reacted again and fought back to the Cill Dara 22 where Aaron Glennon and McGovern went very close, but Cill Dara were just that bit stronger, and were just an unlucky toe in touch not to have added to their tally before halftime.

This positivity they kept on the simmer straight from the kick-off, and within 90 seconds they had forced over their third.
Quinn then did his oul Loman’s thing and picked a mighty fetch from the sky on the restart, and started Mullingar back on a front foot.
As they began to work back into the match Eoghan Moore spotted his first gap and was through it like salt through a goose, only to be illegally held as he chased his kick. From this platform Arthur, Ennis and Brady all had manful cuts but the Cill Dara defence stuck to the task and just kept them out.
Having been properly frightened Cill Dara retorted as they know how, and within minutes were banging on the Mullingar 22, and pushing for their bonus.
In the 23rd minute they were looking ominous, and looked like they might force one into the far corner, but  with remarkable reactions, and the stickiest of hands Aaron Glennon gambled on an interception, and backed himself for 80m to the opposite corner.
It was, however, to be Mullingar’s only chink, and when Daz Brady limped from the fray with 10 remaining the light went out, and Cill Dara went in successful pursuit of their bonus point.


With the women also losing 36-12 away to Balbriggan, both sides will be grateful for the breather the calendar now affords them until early 2019.
 Team: 1. Ed Nally, 2. Darren ‘Daz’ Brady, 3. Ben Glennon , 4. Cillian Kavanagh, 5. Darach Geraghty, 6. Sean Ennis, 7. Cormac Dunne, 8. Daryl Quinn, 9. Arthur Brabazon, 10. Thomas ‘TC’ Campbell, 11. Aaron Glennon, 12. Alan Brabazon, 13. Eoin Moore, 14. Danny Gilleran, 15. Ian McGovern. Subs used: Chris Fox, Shane Flynn, Ross Tormey
Try scorers (as of Dec 9): Nikki Feery (5),  Eoghan Moore (4), Ciara Wynne, Stewie Flynn, Ronan Wallace, Alan Brabazon, Stacey Boland, Ruth Daniels (3), Arthur Brabazon, Ben Glennon, Darech Geraghty, (2) Daryl Quinn, TC, Alex Midic, Fitzpatrick, Sean Rock. James Neale, Gilleran, Cooney, Paul Smith, Paula Lafferty, Meadhbh Scally, Sean Ennis, Aaron Glennon.

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