SLIGO 29 BUCCANEERS 12
A final move of the game try earned a try bonus point for Sligo when they overcame Buccaneers 29-12 in their Energia All-Ireland League Division 2B game played at windswept Hamilton Park on Saturday. A gale whipping mainly acrossfield and a sodden pitch made for a testing afternoon, particularly for the visitors who conceded size and experience to the homesters. The final scoreline does not fully reflect the exchanges but, nevertheless, Sligo were the stronger and smarter outfit.
Buccs made two enforced changes for the trip to Strandhill with Charlie Byrne and Niel Botes replacing Ryan Duffy and Patrick Egan who were injured in last week’s opening fixture. Sligo fielded the same starting XV that prevailed away to Skerries. They also had the benefit of the elements in the opening half and promptly put the Pirates on the back foot. Their early pressure was rewarded with a 5th minute Euan Brown penalty.
Buccs got stuck in and gave as good as they got thereafter in the opening quarter and were unlucky not to score in that period. Thomas Cotton may have got through had the teenager backed himself on 17 minutes while Corey Reid’s intercept came to nought two minutes later due to an earlier infringement.
Sligo scored their first try shortly afterwards, Kuba Wojtkowicz finishing off a spell of territory for a 22nd minute try and seven minutes later Ben Hynes broke through following a lineout just outside the 22. Brown converted both to put the hosts in pole position. A promising 33rd minute Buccs attack broke down when Sligo got away with a handling offence close to their line while a missed pass spoiled a really promising Buccs period of territory.
Sligo profited from a really long relieving penalty just before the interval and, while the midlanders defended well following the lineout, Mark McGlynn applied the finishing touch for a try. Brown’s conversion gave Sligo a strong 24-0 halftime lead.
The Yeats County men unloaded their bench after the break as they prepared to defend against the visitors and the gale. Buccs just could not break down steadfast defending with Cotton unlucky not to profit from an intercept while Orrin Burgess was held up over the home line. They kept plugging away and eventually gained reward when Reid powered through a number of tacklers for a well taken 69th minute try.
The Pirates skipper then initiated and finished off a 77th minute move to surge over for his second try which Dylan Duffy converted. Hopes of salvaging a losing bonus point were dashed in the final moments when Duffy was caught in possession inside his own 22. Sligo turned over possession and Louis McVitty was on hand to punish the fullback’s naivety to secure a bonus point try for the home side.
Thus Sligo join Galwegians with 10 points on top of the league table. They were the cuter outfit overall with Brown steady at flyhalf, Cameron Griffith always a threat in possession and Pat Lynch lording the lineouts. But a youthful Buccs squad can take positives from their efforts in conditions that would not be ideal for them. The scoreline did not really reflect truly for their endeavours. The pack stood up manfully throughout with Adam Cooper, Dan Donovan and Byrne prominent while Reid led his backline by example and Burgess and Cotton were eager lieutenants.
SLIGO:- C.Griffith; M.McGlynn, C.Creaven, W.Whelan, L.McVitty; E.Brown, J.Fleming; L.Timms, M.Earley, K.Wojtkowicz; E.Ballantine, P.Lynch; M.O’Hehir, B.Hynes and F.Dellamea. Replacements used:- A.Czeck, E.Ryan, W.McCauley, A.Durkin and C.O’Neill.
BUCCANEERS:- D.Duffy; T.Shine, T.Cotton, C.Reid (captain), O.Burgess; A.Bouwens, L.MacFarlane; A.Cooper, O.Dolan, C.Byrne; C.Sheehan, S.Meecham; N.Botes, D.Donovan and L.Balsiger. Replacements:- G.McDonald (for Bouwens, 52 mins), R.O’Meara (for Byrne, 52 mins), D.Connolly (for MacFarlane, 63 mins), J.Kelly (for Cooper, 69 mins) and S.Glennon (for Botes, 69 mins).
Referee:- Shane Touhy (IRFU).
