After what was by no means a perfect week of preparation the belief that all the frustrations could be put to rest by a quality performance did not come to fruition with a 23-15 loss to a youthful U.C.C. team.
Our build up to the match was hampered right up to kick-off with players either carrying sickness or injuries that we hoped would clear before taking on the unbeaten and top of the table students from Cork. More terrible weather leading up to the match threatened the likelihood of the match kicking off at all. But on the way down on the train the clouds cleared and we played in pretty good conditions considering.
Captain Bevan Cantrell had withdrawn with a serious bout of the flu to go with other missing players, outhalf Billy Tracey, winger Paddy Brophy and lock Greg Thompson who tried in vain to make it onto the paddock despite a seized up neck and back.
It was to be a big day for U.C.C. who had designated the match to be their annual colours match so we expected a fully focused and determined opposition very keen to not only make another positive step in the A.I.L. but to recognise the day in the appropriate manner.
Come kick-off we had the belief that if we worked really hard on the basics by concentrating on each little job with the spirit and intensity that we knew so well last season that we would get the opposition second guessing themselves and present quality go forward ball for our backs. Playing against the breeze that was about 60 km lighter than the week before, we struggled to get our hand’s on the ball and after some poor defensive alignment out wide we got punished with a well taken try by the U.C.C. winger. Competive enough but by no means stamping any authority on the match, the reminder of the half was affected with poor application of the basics - in particular first-up tackles and set piece. With the lack of possession and position frustration levels grew and a successful penalty in the 27th minute took the score to 10-0. Some time was then spent at the right end of the park for us and Daithi Fitzgerald converted a penalty after 31 minutes to get us on the board. Poor discipline just on the halftime whistle cost us another penalty meaning we went the break behind 13-3. It was all before us in the 2nd half with the wind building behind us, to be used effectively to gain much needed territory and a lot more intensity at the breakdown we believed that we were still in the match if a switch in attitude was made. The switch wasn’t made and a penalty 8 minutes in and a good team try with 20 left on the clock left us all of sudden trailing 23-3. Finally we kicked into gear and from a perfectly taken backs move winger Mark Culhane was over in the corner with 15 to go. Five minutes later and further quality phase ball had U.C.C. on the back foot and sub outside centre Melvin Mc Namara finishing off under the posts. 23-15 and we were starting to wonder if we could pull one out of the hat. But U.C.C. closed the match of in way that belied their lack of A.I.L. experience keeping us away from the ball. The last 20 minutes showed what can happen when a team toughens up and plays with a lot of collective heart. The real pity was that we had two goal attempts hit the post and if we had played a lot more accurately at all the basic core components of Rugby we could quite easily have trekked back to Dublin with a much different and more positive tale to tell.
This means we have to pick ourselves up and train harder to bring a performance we know we are capable of against our local rivals Bective at Merrion Road this Saturday. The spirit shown in the last 20 minutes of Saturday’s game shows us how much this team has to give when it has the drive and the will. We must win on Saturday and we are looking for full support on the sidelines from Wanderer’s fans and members in this last game before Christmas so we can all go into the break with the gift of a much better standing on the A.I.L. points table leading into the second half of the season.
