J1’s come out on the wrong side of high scoring try fest

Blink and you would miss the lead changing hands in this topsy turvy encounter. The game was characterized by all-out attacking play from both sides as you can see from the final scoreline. It was a good watch for the spectators who were present played on the artificial surface in Belfield in good conditions. 

However, as the game of rugby has an offensive side to it so does it also have a defensive side in being quick off the line and maintaining good lines of defence. This aspect of the game was very much lacking, in fact woeful at times in this encounter with a lot of tackles fallen off and mistakes made as a result. That said it was a hugely entertaining encounter with no fewer than thirteen tries being shared between two closely matched opponents.

 The game opened with a UCD try following a good break after five minutes and with the conversion added made the score 7-0. Quickly, the game moved on with a yellow card for the UCD right winger after ten minutes.  A phased attack followed with a good offload from Donough Lawlor to full back Oisin Devitt to score and the extra points were added by Conor Lenihan leaving the score at 7-7.

That scoreline changed again five minutes later this time following a breakout from inside their own half by the J1 team and the kick through from flanker Henry Godson who continued up with the play and following turning over the ball close to the line the pass from Jack Matthews found Godson again who soloed in to score in the corner.

Having established a lead, the J1’s relinquished that lead after twenty-five minutes in broken play within their own half when trying to break out from defence. They were trying to run the ball and in the middle of a backline move when the UCD No.13 intercepted a long pass, and his pace did the rest scoring under the posts the lead changing hands at 14-12.

It was better for them after thirty minutes when they increased their lead further with again a fine try by their centre No 12. College was now on top and pressed home that advantage shortly after with their fourth bonus point try of the game which was converted opening the gap between the teams to 26-12.

 Time was running out in the first half and the J1’s managed to secure a series of penalties and with the clock in the red after pressure flanker Aidan Long broke through to score close to the right-hand posts allowing the conversion and leaving the scoreline at half time at 26 -19. Catch Your breath time.

It had been a fast-moving first half with the try tally of 4 to 3 in favour of the students and improvement was needed and called for. The second half began in line with that message, and it was the J1’s who exercised some control over the game in the opening exchanges.   In so doing they were able to get their fourth bonus point try following a good run by Conor Lenihan and the out half also added the conversion and brought the scoreline level at 26 points each. 

The try scoring continued thereafter following good work by Lock Jack Chapeau in offloading to wing Adam Galbraith who again showed a clean pair of heels to outpace the defence and score near the posts and with the conversion added by Linehan brought the scoreline to 33-26.

UCD's far from being shell shocked came back strongly and attacked the Lansdowne line leading to a yellow card for Henry Godson and the award by the referee of a penalty try bringing the scores level at 33 points each. You felt at this stage that the game could go either way, and it was the students who grabbed control of the game. 

They scored a further fine try from open play through their full back. You expected Lansdowne to reply but again ill-discipline mistakes and a series of penalties from the referee in UCD's favour meant that it was college who gained good field position. Their ever-dangerous No.13 rounded off their try tally for the day by scoring and with conversion added brought the scoreline to 45 -33 with ten minutes left.

It was do or die and in fairness to the J1’s they upped their game and following great work in the forwards Henry Godson who had a fine game broke through to score along the left-hand touch line and with a fine conversion it brought the scoreline back to 40 - 45 with time running out. 

The win was still on for the J1’s but it seemed that a lot of the refereeing decisions during this final quarter period of the game were going against them. When getting into promising positions they were conceding penalty after penalty and a yellow card followed for Lawlor reducing their number to 14. It was from one of these penalties that UCD decided to close out the game with four minutes remaining and their fullback slotted the penalty to increase their lead to 48-40. There was no time left, and it had been a Tri fest but one where the J1’s had come out on the wrong side of it.

This week Donnough Lawlor was excellent and carried a huge amount of ball throughout the game. Jack Matthews at scrum half played well with his slick distribution. Also, Henry Godson performed very well in the loose and was rewarded with a couple of tries and there were good cameo performances from Rohan Van der Akker and Oscar Egan from the bench. 

One feels there is some work to be done in training on the defensive side of the game and organization of that defence. This game did show how close this division is this year meaning that it is still very tight and although this is a bad loss for the J1’s they are still very much in the hunt in this league. Focus now turns to another away fixture this time against the table toppers Trinity in college park on the afternoon of the 17th of November and we will see how that goes as the season progresses further.

Match Report - John Kilroy