Ulster Bank League: Division 1B Reviews - BUCCANEERS vs DOLPHIN

BUCCANEERS 19 DOLPHIN 5, Dubarry Park


This match pitting top against bottom, sponsored by Glasson Country House Hotel & Golf Club, turned in to a real dogfight in testing weather and underfoot conditions at the midlands venue.

With the pitch cutting up badly, it militated greatly against Buccaneers' favoured style of fast, free-flowing play but the Athlone standard bearers showed their grit and resolve in overcoming a very determined challenge from relegation-threatened Dolphin.



Buccs got off to a perfect start, Luke Carty's cross-field kick being gathered by Jordan Conroy (pictured above) to score an unconverted try wide on the left after just seven minutes. But Dolphin dominated territory and possession for lengthy swathes of the opening half in a game that was in total contrast to the Pirates' swashbuckling affair away to UL Bohemians last time out.

The Corkmen were here to battle for survival in the division - and battle they did. But the usually reliable Barry Keeshan was off target with kickable penalties on 4 and 30 minutes in a half when scoring opportunities were at a premium.

The intense exchanges boiled over on 35 minutes and referee Oisin Quinn red carded both openside flankers, Rory Moloney of Buccs and Dolphin's Kevin Allen. A block by Conroy in the final minute was deemed to be deliberate and the 14-try flyer was yellow carded just before the interval.

Leading 5-0, Buccaneers reappeared for the second half in their canary yellow 'away' colours and, although restarting with only 13 players, they quickly raised their tempo and got a foothold in Dolphin's 22.

Following a scrum, the ball was moved left and winger Rory O'Connor fastened onto Carty's perfectly angled grubber kick to swoop for a 48th minute try. Carty added a terrific conversion but Dolphin soon responded, Dave O'Mahony forcing his way over in the right corner for a 54th minute try following a lineout. Cian McGovern, now entrusted with the place-kicking, was unable to convert and also missed a penalty ten minutes later.

Buccs looked like adding to their 12-5 advantage in a sparkling attack started by Shane O'Leary and carried on by Eoin Griffin and Shane Layden but with the visitors' defence stretched to breaking point, Layden's offload missed the supporting Eoghan O'Reilly on 72 minutes.

Two minutes later, the Pirates got the breathing space they craved when Dolphin were forced to carry a chip ahead over their own line. From the ensuing scrum, Buccs drove the visitors' pack inexorably over their line where captain Kolo Kiripati (pictured below) grounded the ball and Carty added another top notch conversion.



Brett Wilkinson's men were most unfortunate in the final play not to secure a bonus point try when Conroy, in a typically mesmerising run from end to end, was deemed to have put a foot in touch as he raced to the Dolphin line in search of his 15th try of the campaign.

That would have been hard on the losers who journeyed home empty-handed despite rattling Buccaneers, but the midlanders showed necessary traits of character and mettle in this hard-earned victory in which Under-20 lock Simon Meagher was named the Audi Athlone man-of-the-match.