Donegal Town RFC Beat Cavan RFC In Thriller
Donegal Town 1st xv 31 Cavan RFC 29
Donegal Town RFC snatched victory with the final kick of the match in a tightly contested game at the Holmes.
The home side made a great start crossing the whitewash in the first ten minutes for a five point lead. The home side began to exert their dominance on the game and played most of their rugby in Cavan’s half.
Donegal were on the back of an outstanding performance in their previous game, when a 13 man side pushed a full strength Lisburn all the way in a narrow away defeat. The game came at a cost, with two of Donegal’s forwards suffering injuries incurred in the performance.
Cavan managed to get on the scoreboard half way through the first half. After a Donegal infringement at the breakdown the referee awarded a penalty, which Cavan successfully converted.
After sustained pressure from Donegal’s pack the home side were awarded a scrum in Cavan’s 10 metre line. Donegal’s number eight lifted the ball from the base of the scrum and the ball was spread wide with Gareth McMurray crossing the line for the games second try.
Cavan dragged themselves back into the contest just before half time by scoring a converted try in the last action of the first half. Donegal led the contest 15 10 at half time.
Cavan kept this momentum up at the start of the second half by scoring another penalty after a Donegal infringement. Donegal marched straight back up the pitch, and after some great play from the forwards the referee awarded a penalty. Donegal’s fly half Petso Cannon kicked the penalty which extended the home sides lead to five points.
Cavan’s number ten started to pull the strings for the away side, with some great territorial kicks and phases of play. This led to Cavan’s scoring their second converted try of the match, which took the visitors into a two point lead.
A great kick through by Donegal split the Cavan defence leading to Donegal’s third try of the match scored by Gareth McMurray. Peteso Cannon added the conversion to restore Donegal’s lead.
In the final quarter of the game Cavan continued to build phase after phase. This pressure led to a Donegal infringement at the breakdown, Cavan converted the resulting penalty. Donegal managed to hit straight back when pressure from the home side’s forwards led to a penalty, which Donegal converted.
Cavan then cut the deficit to two points after being awarded a penalty in Donegal’s 22. The visitor’s then took the lead when the referee awarded yet another penalty in Donegal’s 22 after the home sides players went off their feet at the breakdown. Cavan converted the penalty and the led the contest going into the final minutes of the match.
Donegal’s forwards managed to go straight back up the pitch and after sustained phases of driving forward play the Cavan defence conceded a penalty. Petso Cannon converted the kick which turned out to be the final play of the match.
Team: Jason Conway, Ìan Ò Loingsigh, Brian Killalea, Shaun Mahon, Ciaran Harley, Dylan Johnston, Ernan Cassidy,Lee Mosley, Peteso Cannon, Declan Bushell, Joseph Gallagher, Charlie Walker, Gareth Mcmurray, Shane Mahon, Paul Kerrigan,
Subs: Richard Gallagher, Jack Sweeney Manager: Pauric Farragher.
Report by David Corrigan
