Old Christians RFC delivered a commanding performance against Ennis RFC, securing a comprehensive 39-17 victory at Rathcooney. From the opening whistle, Old Christians demonstrated superior structure and execution, scoring a series of well-crafted tries and maintaining defensive discipline throughout.
The scoring began early, with Dan Kelleher crossing over in the 4th minute for Old Christians, who were quick to establish momentum. After gaining field position through strong forward carries, Kelleher spotted a gap and cut through the Ennis line, grounding the ball under the posts for a converted try that gave Old Christians an early 5-0 lead.
Around the 20th minute mark there was an exchange of penalties between Johnny and the Ennis 10 bringing the score to 8 - 3
Old Christians continued to assert control, and in the 24th minute, Johnny Marnell took a quick tap penalty, catching the Ennis defence unprepared and charging over the line to extend their lead to 15-3. Ennis, however, responded ten minutes later, working the ball wide to find space on the flank, where they capitalized to score in the corner and narrow the gap to 15 - 10.
Just before halftime the home team had the final say, Old Christians’ forward pack rallied with a powerful maul that Ennis struggled to contain. Cian Walsh emerged from the drive to score in the 40th minute, bringing the half to a close with Old Christians firmly in control at 20 - 10.
The second half saw Old Christians continue their dominant play, using set pieces and tactical awareness to stretch Ennis’ defence. In the 52nd minute, after a well-executed backs move, Oscar Clarke finished a precise attack set up by Dan Kelleher, who delivered the final pass to send Clarke over the try line, extending the lead to 25-10.
Six minutes later, Dave Ahern showcased exceptional skill with an individual try that broke through Ennis' defence, pushing Old Christians even further ahead. His footwork and field vision created the gap needed to score in open play, putting Old Christians up 32-10.
Ennis found an opportunity five minutes from full time, capitalizing on a blocked kick to score a consolation try, closing the gap to 31-17. However, Old Christians had the final say as Ahern struck again in the 78th minute, breaking tackles to secure his second try of the day ably set up by Harry Martin leaving the score 39-17.
Old Christians’ clinical performance and cohesive teamwork were evident throughout, with the pack providing a solid platform and the backs displaying excellent creativity and finishing ability. This result marks another strong outing for Old Christians reinforcing their position in the league table
