1st XV win exciting game 14-13 at home to Navan in All reland league
1st XV win 14-13 at home to Navan in 2nd All Ireland League Match on sat 5th oct
What can you say about a match that we were 6-13 down with minutes to go, but we go on to win it!!
Well all I can say is “Rickety” and who is going to pay for my “DRY CLEANING!!”
After the lesson in rugby handed out to us last saturday at Skerries, all we hoped for was a reaction and commitment from the players and we surely got that.
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Both sides will be unhappy with some of the quality on show. For Navan their continually knocking on of the ball kept us in the game.
For Instonians the scrum struggled against a good opposition, our line-out was “hit & miss” at times, but the effort and defence was a big step up.
We still need to work on our execution in the backs, simple hands, draw the man and we certainly have pace to test any defence.
Navan played with the wind and the Autumn son at their backs, the first quarter was an example of things that were to be a theme throughout the match. Good box kick from Nico andress was knocked on by the Navan winger. Scrums were not a great thing for instonians and if we did not have Andy Mckeen at 8 it would be even worse.
Instonians had the first chance to score when Navan infringed at an Instonians maul, unfortunately Instonian outhalf was yet to warm up, the kick missed. Straight from the restart Navan kicked long and scrum back the result, again they were penalised at the ruck from the corresponding scrum on their 22. This time gareth slotted the kick. (3-0 up).
Last week we started in the same way and it all went “pear shaped!”, hopefully not this week.
From a series of Instonians mistakes, crooked feed at scrum that was already under pressure, the resulting scrum gave Navan an attack and Instonians infringed at the breakdown, penalty, kick by Navan no 10 Alan Kingsley (3-3)
For the next minutes Instonians were in the ascendency, good breaks from Jonny Martin on the wing and more of Ryans counterattacks from full back. We did butcher a scoring change when the handing was not good enough.
Navan scored next when from another period of Inst pressure, we seemed to run out of people, poor “garyowen” kick and poor chase was countered by Navan for their No 8 Leigh Jackson to get the ball outside our 22 and bash through tackles to score at the posts. Converted by the no 10 Alan Kingsley. (3-10)
We continued to attack but still seem to run out of people and options at times.
Both sides forced turnovers, the highlight being one as a consequence of Ross Keane exploding at a Navan ruck.
Despite all this Navan scored next, when although we forced another turnover at a ruck we went on to be penalised for holding on at the next breakdown. That man Alan Kingsley stepped up again. (3-13)
The Inst scrum was now really on its knees and was starting to get penailsed regularly, all this led to the rest of the half being spent in the Instonians half. Navan poor execution saved us and we hung on to halftime.
Halftime (3-13)
In the 2nd half we now had the breeze and the lowering autumn sun was even more in our favour.
The frontrow was freshened up with Josh Cregan coming on, this allong with Andy McKeens skills at 8 meant we started to get some scrappy ball from the setpiece.
Some good kicking kept Navan under pressure and eventaully led to them being penailsed at a ruck. Gareth Lawlor followed through with a kick. (6-13)
Nervous times and it showed, Navan knock ons, Inst under pressure on their own set pieces, both sides missing kickable penalties.
Instonians had a couple of chances to score but scramble Navan D kept us out and their clearence kicks were of the high quality.
The bench was emptied, Ben Scott into the centre, James Carruther in the backrow, Chris Sweeney in the 2nd Row and Matthew Keane at scrumhalf.
Then came the game changeing 5 minutes: from good Instonians D Navan were forced to infringe at the ruck on the edge of the 22, penalty to Inst and Navan no 7 being yellow carded. Paddy Bell had the sense to see how long left, 6 minutes, so the kick was taken and slotted. (9-13)
The Navan bench became twitchy.
Navan restarted and Instonians were on the attack again, from a ruck at halfway new scrumhalf Matthew Keane spotted a gap down the blindside and off he ran. Cut inside the winger, round the fullback and made it to the corner just!! (14-13). ahead!!!
A nervous last 5 minutes was played in the Navan half, but Instonians held on for a great win and the season started.
Great win, plenty of spirit shown, but still plenty to work on at the set piece and the backs.
Nevertheless huge step up in pride.
Rickety!!
Team 1 to 20: Harry Martin, Ross Keane, Alan Whitten, Peter Stewart, Lewis Jones, Paddy Bell, Paddy Marks, Andy McKeen, Nico Andress, Gareth Lawlor, Jonny Martin, Robbie Kirk, Matthew Kilpatrick, Richard Fegan, Ryan Aperehama, Josh Cregan, Chris Sweeney, James Carruthers, Matthew Keane, Ben scott.
