BUCCANEERS 27 MALONE 22
Putting in their best display of the season, Buccaneers proved worthy 27-22 victors over Malone in their Energia All-Ireland League Division 2B game played at Dubarry Park on Saturday as the Athlone ‘brothers’ won the battle of the Malones, with the game sponsored by the Hodson Bay Group!
On a dry afternoon the Athlone pitch held up well considering the amount of rain that had fallen recently. The underfoot conditions were on the soft side and looked like it may be of more benefit to a physically bigger Belfast squad. But Buccs, who made just one change from the defeat away to Rainey, dug deep right to the very end as they completed a double over the Ulster club.
Luke Balsiger returned at No.8 for the homesters while the northerners made three changes. Two of those were in the front row where Ricky Greenwood and Sam Green started while Tom Quigley slotted into the centre.
Malone started strongly with penalties bringing them close to the home line and Ben Gibson provided width on the right to get the opening score, a try after just 4 minutes with Mathew Rae adding the conversion. But Buccs responded swiftly and, after going through a few phases of their own, Abel Bouwens slick pass sent David Colgan in for a try near the Bounty corner just 3 minutes later. Gearoid McDonald’s conversion levelled the scores at 7-7.
The fullback had a recurrence of his hamstring injury in scoring and Malone scored next in somewhat fortuitous fashion. Adam Cooper made a fine block on the ten-metre line and, with his teammates not reacting, Tane Hotham picked up the loose ball to dart in for an unconverted 14th minute try on the stand side.
Orrin Burgess made a promising break up the left flank and, shortly afterwards, following a chip over the cover Gibson got back just in time to deny the chasing Thomas Cotton. Buccaneers were now enjoying considerable territory and two knock-ons by Malone disrupted a couple of attacks. However, this sustained spell eventually gained reward when Kyle Barrett’s intelligent crossfield punt reached Burgess and the winger powered in for a 29th minute penalty. McDonald added an excellent touchline conversion to give Buccs the lead.
Prolonged Buccs pressure led to Rae being sin-binned seven minutes before the interval and the Pirates continued to raid with Ross Murphy-Sweeney’s break and kick ahead creating confusion in the visitors’ ranks. The alert home winger somehow regained possession and swept in for a 39th minute try and McDonald’s conversion pushed Buccaneers 21-12 ahead at half-time.
As the sun brightened Buccs were under pressure in the early stages of the second half and enjoyed a let-off when Jack McMurtry knocked on in a promising position. But the winger had better luck on 54 minutes when evading a number of tepid tackles to dot down at the uprights and Rae duly landed the conversion.
Just before the hour mark, Michael Crothers was yellow carded for a high tackle on Sam Meecham but Malone regained the lead in his absence. While Cotton made a try-saving tackle on McMurtry and then Rae was off-target with a penalty, the outhalf found the range on 69 minutes to edge Malone 22-21 ahead.
Fears that Buccs would slip from a winning position came to mind but another high tackle on Meecham earned a 73rd minute penalty which McDonald drilled over to restore the lead to the Pirates. They continued to work like beavers, tackling relentlessly, to regain their momentum which forced another penalty. Again, McDonald was unerring from the placed ball to secure the Shannonsiders 27-22 victory.
This came on the back of an excellent and sustained team performance. There was much to enthuse about this display with their discipline, intensity and energy being key to this win. Meecham was the outstanding operator in a fully committed pack while Cotton and Cooper were others to shine that little bit extra in a true squad effort by the Pirates that surely scuttled Malone’s play-off hopes despite their earning a losing bonus point. Buccs gave game time to youngsters Aindriu Oates and Rourke O’Sullivan before a rousing rendition of “The Brothers Malone” was heard from the home dressing-room.
BUCCANEERS:- D.Colgan; R.Murphy-Sweeney, T.Cotton, C.Reid (captain), O.Burgess; G.McDonald, A.Bouwens; A.Cooper, S.Glennon, C.Byrne; S.Meecham, C.Sheehan; P.Egan, D.Donovan and L.Balsiger. Replacements:- K.Barrett (for Colgan, inj. 9 mins), R.O’Sullivan (for Murphy-Sweeney, h/t), R.Murphy-Sweeney (for Burgess, 56 mins), A.Oates (for Byrne, 67 mins), D.Bolger (for Donovan, 75 mins), O.Burgess (for Balsiger, 75 mins) and J.Kelly.
MALONE:- B.Gibson; J.Murtry, C.McCaughey, T.Quigley, T.Hotham; M.Rae, C.Soper; B.Halliday, S.Green, R.Greenwood; L.Wakefield, Z.Devine; J.Edwards, D.Greatorex (captain) and Crothers. Replacements:- B.Grimley (for Devine, 26 mins), D.Kerr (for Green, 30 mins), B.Young (for Halliday, 30 mins), S.Green (for Kerr, h/t), B.Halliday (for Young, h/t), Z.Devine (for Grimley, h/t), B.Grimley (for Edwards, 51 mins), D.Kerr (for Greenwood, 57 mins),B.Young (for Halliday, 74 mins), J.Pentland (for McMurtry, 74 mins) and J.Callaghan (for Soper).
Referee:- Michael Reidy (IRFU).
