Leinster Division 1B.

September 27, 2015

Mullingar 20 - Malahide 20

by Finian Coghlan

Guilty of both making poor choices and gifting their visitors three awfulsoft first-half tries, Mullingar were still able to dig out enough fortitude andgame to rescue two points and get a salutory lesson in the requirements of 1Brugby.Malahide, who came third in this division last year and would fancythemselves for the title this year, was just the steely opener Mullingar needed, andonce they copped on the home side showed just enough moxie and dash to hint at amost interesting season.For the first time in a long time the outside backs were out of some sorts,but the slack was gladly taken up with huge games from Alex Moran, Daryl Quinn,and that hungry returning hunter Andrew Purcell who showed his gratitude forhis welcome home with one of those games.

Perversely, Mullingar actually started the peppier, and young Donal Liddywas unlucky not to have scored inside two minutes when he fetched a lovelyWallsy dinker over the line, but was agonisingly held up.Moments later player-coach Walls looked like he'd opened his account forthe season only for the ref to deem his effort a double movement.So in light of this hearty start, what happened next was even moresickening.From a Malahide line-out on the Mullingar 10-metre line the home side inexplicably opened every door and allowed the visitors pour throughleaving poor Liddy left with a three-on-one, which they did not mess up.Butler had two chances to open Mullingar's scoring, and though he missedboth, the second on 15 minutes was notable in that it saw their outhalf getbinned for 10.After a good seven or so minutes of sustained pressure Mullingar was duly rewarded when Niall Hannon dashed in from short out for a well-earned score.This was more like it but our joy was shortlived. Fielding an innocuous boxkick deep in their own 22, Malahide had a cut and were practically waved throughall sizeable gaps and they burnt the whole way down for their secondunconverted.They stretched this out to 7-13 with a gifted penalty five minutes later,and despite some sterling work from snaffleators-in-chief Mssrs Dunne andBrady, the home side still had one great generosity left to give in the half.With a minute remaining Mullingar made a dog's dinner out of their ownlline-out on the half way and put out the 'Welcome' signs once again as Malahidedrove a coach and four through a gap wider than Sally's for a 7-20 halftime lead.Clearly having inherited Derek Maybury's pixie dust, the break saw itliberally dusted over the shellshocked home side by Dunne and Walls, and the difference was chalk to the first half's cheese.Early doors Brabby showed his charges the way by squeezing out some hardyards to the Malahide 22 and lay down his statement of intent.Seven minutes in, Mullingar earned a penalty on their own 22 and the just introduced Andrew Purcell spotted a half hole and snipes for it. He makesit through and fed his skipper who grubbers a beaut to the corner flag.From the line-out the ball is flashed right quickly and Brabby give Liddy akick and gallop chance, but the kid is just beaten to the touchdown.From the re-start big carries from Fui and Purcell allow Matt Coade to getit right fourth time, and he finally pirouettes in under the posts to beginthe comeback.

The next 15 minutes was real tit-for-tat, and you felt the next score wouldwin.In the 22nd minute a great run by Davy O'Reilly culminated in Liddy beingloosed off for the corner, only for him to be pulled back for a forward pass.However, the silver lining was a third Malahide yellow and a penalty infront to which Butler duly obliged to make it a three point game.Then, with five minutes left a monster Purcell hit forces a spill, and some great rescue hands from Ryan Tighe get Mullingar back into the Malahide 22and won a penalty, which Johnny slotted for the equalizer.Mullingar pushed on again sensing a winner. Again O'Reilly was magnificentin the loose and he led the way in fat boy dragging.Two minutes into injury time Mullingar got their chance after theydestroyed the Malahide scrum and won a kickable penalty.

However, with the breath of the entire neighbourhood fully bated, JohnnyButler shaved the wrong side of the stick, and the final result was a fine, fairdraw.

Team: 1. Jonathan Fuimano, 2. David O'Reilly, 3. Darren Brady, 4. DarylQuinn, 5. Ritchie Pyke, 6. Cillian Murphy, 7. Cormac Dunne, 8. Niall Hannon, 9.Micky Walls, 10. Matt Coade, 11. Ryan Tighe, 12. Eoghan Gantly, 13. Alan Brabazon(c), 14. Donal Liddy, 15. Johnny Butler. Subs used: Arthur Brabazon, Ciaran O'Donoghue, Alex Moran, Andrew Purcell.

Scorers:Tries: Hannon, Coade.Pens: Butler 2.Cons: Bulter 2.Try scorers (as of 27.9.15): Matt Coade (8), Donal Liddy, Sarah Murphy (3), Arthur Brabazon, Clodagh Cleary, Niamh Kennedy (2), Daryl Quinn, JenniGibson, Louise Kelly, John Nixon, Davy O'Reilly, Katie Layde, Niall Hannon (1).