Ballyshannon’s good run continued at a cold Lakeside Centre on Saturday where the entertained Magherafelt side Rainey Old Boys.
The home side were soon in the thick of it and opened the scoring after a mere two minutes, after making good ground deep into the opposition half it was from a great take in the line out by Richard Gallagher that unleashed his backline and after some slick ball handling it was winger Dominic Gillespie who crossed the line for the try and continue his hugely impressive introduction to rugby. The conversion was missed by Ray Gallagher.
‘’Shannon’s’’ next score did not come until the 19th minute and it was after a good turnover in a ruck by flanker Joe Gallagher and despite a poor pass from scrum half Paul Connolly it was the enigmatic Mark Rooney who had just returned from injury who tidied up the loose ball and took of on one of his trademark runs and wasn’t for stopping until he crossed the whitewash until he put his side into a 10-0 lead,again the conversion was missed but this was to be the last miss for Gallagher.
Just minutes later Shannon lost their captain Paul Cassidy through injury but were lucky to be able to call on fellow prop John Gallagher to take his place.
Rooney added his second try on 36 minutes after No. 8 Darragh Tyrell pounced on a loose ball from a line out and again it was swiflty moved along the back line where Rooney was the recipient and squeezed through a gap to push side into a commanding 15-0 lead and with a Gallagher conversion it was into the half time break 17-0 ahead.
The second half continued in much the same vein as the first and playing with a stiff breeze at their backs, it was from a quick penalty No. 8 Daragh Tyrell made alot of ground with an excellent run but was adjudged to have put a foot in touch 5m out, but from the resulting line out the visitors knocked on and from the scrum Connolly found Gallagher who spotted a gap to score under the posts and duly added the onversion for 24-0.
Centre Rooney was at it again and was to notch up his hat trick and not for the first time this season, as Rainey spilt the ball from a ruck it was pounced upon by an ever vigilant John Gallagher who popped a pass that found it’s way to Rooney for another fine score, again Gallagher who has really found form with kicking boots added the conversion for 31-0.
The final score came from the superb Darragh Tyrell who from a 5m line out, he caught and crashed over and with the conversion the final whistle blew at a resounding 38-0.
In a superb all round team performance there were some very impressive performances, in the forwards hooker Alan Predergast continues to impress along side the ever solid prop Brian Killalea, second rows Gillespie and Gallagher grow in stature each week and considering this is Gillespie’s first year it warrants more praise, flanker Joe Gallagher is having a fine season and along with No. 8 Darragh Tyrell who has been a relevation this year.
In the back line Rooney leads the way each week and is always well assisted by the Bundoran contingent of Tom Dillon, Dermot Connolly and Kealan Mc Nulty, Paul Connolly has slotted in well at scrum half and links well with his coach Ray Gallagher. Belleek man Daire Keown is a class act and very dangerous with ball in hand and as teams have found is not a great man to kick away posession to. Dominic Gillespie has taken to the game like a duck to water and has hugely impressed,
Saturday’s team was:
Brian Killalea, Alan Predergast, Paul Cassidy (C), Darren Gillespie, Richard Gallagher, Joe Gallagher, James Gallagher, Darrgh Tyrell, Paul Connolly, Ray Gallagher, Dermot Connolly, Daniel Grimes, Mark Rooney, Dominic Gillespie and Daire Keown. Subs used John Gallagher, Kealan Mc Nulty and Tom Dillon.
