MULLINGAR U18 BOYS

NEWS

12/1/2019

MULLINGAR 43

LONGFORD 12

Shay Murtagh Park

A good win for the lads today, and more importantly a good performance which gets our league challenge under way despite a slow start. Longford caught us napping at the kick off and split our defence in the second minute for an early try. Captain David Manning rallied the troops and led by example driving the team forward all game, with some fine carries and excellent rucking. The play quickly turned to the Longford 22 and the lads camped there for most of the day. Stephen Derham picked up where he left off against Cill Dara his clean outs in the opening quarter were top class, on eight minutes after a good passing movement involving Cian Cleary, Evan Harte and Manning, Derham received the ball on the wing and again showed his pace to out run the Longford rear-guard and score a fine try. Hooker Conal Fagan was playing like a centre, he was causing Longford all sorts of problems with his probing carries. Longford lost a man to a yellow card on thirteen minutes and Mullingar capitalised. The lads exerted heavy pressure on the Longford defence, which eventually gave way to a fine Manning try which was converted by Cleary. Three minutes later Derham made another fine carry before being brought to ground on the Longford line, he popped the ball up to the ever present Cleary who crossed for another score and conversion. Paddy Doran and Hart were bossing the play around the ruck, Conal Fagan went on another fine carry showing speed and pace not normally see in a front row expert. Doran stole a Longford line out, the ball was swept to Derham on the opposite wing in a fine Mullingar move, the opposition were lucky to escape another yellow when Stephen was hit high and late across the touch line. On the half time restart Manning again set the tone for Mullingar with a huge hit on the opponent’s winger, he followed this moments later with a carry from his own 22 to score a fantastic Mullingar try in the corner. The floodgates opened and Mullingar took complete control for the remainder of the half. The second row pairing Sean Casey and Nathan Gallagher were reunited today after Casey’s absence against Cill Dara and what a difference it made to the team, our forwards were back in control of the set piece and indeed provided a platform for today’s result. Mitic crossed the whitewash to finished a fine move involving the entire backline. Man of the match Conal Fagan who reached a new level today took a quick line out to Cleary while the opposition were organising themselves and he finished with flair under the posts. Paul Smith followed with a trademark try for him, latching on to a loose ball after a big tackle from Harte, he outpaced the Longford winger to score under the posts. Longford wrapped up proceedings with a converted score in the last minute. The lads have a timely break next week, a badly needed rest and an opportunity to clear up our injuries, our squad is small and we had players on the pitch today carrying injuries into the game, the ever reliable Matthew Doyle had to sit the game out with an injury, we also have Key Players out of action with long term injuries who are gradually returning to training and will soon be pushing for a starting place on the team so there is plenty more tocome from this squad of players, well done lads.

Scorers 

Tries; 

David Manning 2

Cian Cleary 2

Stephen Derham

Paul Smith

Peter Mitic

Conversions;

Cian Cleary 4

Penalties;

Team;

Conal Fagan,Chris Glynn, Nathan Gallagher, Sean Casey, Matthew Looram, Harry Ripley, Paddy Doran, Cian Cleary, James Kerrigan, Stephen Derham, David Manning, Evan Harte, Peter Mitic, Paul Smith.

5/1/2019

CILL DARA 57

MULLINGAR 27

Silken Thomas Park

The Under 18s were away in Cill Dara on Saturday to shake off the Christmas excess, it was another tough day for th elads who are getting it very hard to field a consistent squad. The highlight of this game was a moment of class from Stephen Derham on40 minutes, he collected a loose ball on his own 22 and displayed blistering pace to evade the opposition defence, with the line insight he unselfishly sent Cian Cleary over for a brilliant try. The first half was poor from Mullingar our only score coming on 26 minutes when Peter Mitic crossed in the corner after Chris Glynn had stolen the Cill Dara line out, Stephen Derham passed to David Manning who made good yards before setting Mitic on his way. Chris Glynn, James Kerrigan and Stephen Derham were very prominent in defence in this half, Cian Cleary at 9 was having his usual fine game. The second period was much better from Mullingar, Mitic set the tone early with a fine take from the restart, howeverthis was subsequently undone in the ruck, Manning and Evan Harte werecoming more into the game now and with just four minutes gone in the half Manning made a break before setting Derham on his way only to be denied on the opposition line. Man of the match Cleary’s first try followed after Derham’s excellent run. Another opposition score followed. On 20 minutes Manning broke through in midfield after good work from Harte and covered 20 metres to score a good try. Mullingar were having their purple patch now, five minutes later Mitic made a break for the line making good ground before setting Cleary up for his second. Cleary was on hand again to round off the scoring for the day, James Kerrigan made a fine clean out Manning and Mitic again made the yards for Cleary to touch down. A loosing bonus point achieved which could be very important in the weeks to come.

Scorers;

Tries; 

Cian Cleary 3

Peter Mitic 1

David Manning 1

Conversions; 

Cian Cleary 1

Penalties;

Team;

Chris Glynn, Conall Fagan, Matthew Doyle, Nathan Gallagher, Evan Harte, Paddy Doran, Cian Cleary, James Kerrigan, Peter Mitic, Harry Ripley, Stephen Derham, David Manning, Owen Malleady.