VIRGINIA RFC VIRGINIA FIRST XV TAKE THE POINTS IN LOCAL DERBY
Cavan 7 – Virginia 19
In perfect conditions in Swellan Park Virgina travelled the short distance to their local neighbours in this Ulster league clash. It was the travelling side who started the better with their pressure leading to two early penalities which were converted by Cian Mc Enroe. Virginia were then pegged back into their own have by the bigger Cavan pack but strong defending by Sean Meehan and Farrell Brady kept the Cavan at bay . Cavan were now using their size putting this young Virginia side but again Virginia were resoulte in their defence with Cian Mc Enroe and captain Ben Gilmore putting in some big hits in the midfield . It was from a penalty in their own half Virginia kicked to the corner from the resulting lineout the home side coughed up a simple penaly Gary Daly stood up and put it between the posts leaving the score nine nil to the visitors.
It was another lineout that was to prove fruitful for Virginia a quick ball of the top from Pagraig Mc Manus and after two phases from the Back line and some quick hands allowed Donal Farrelly to Burst over the Cavan line Daly was on hand to convert from a difficult angle. This was the way it ended up at half time with the vistors leading fourteen nil.
The first score in the second half was going to be important and this came from the home side they put pressure on a Virginia scrum resulting in confusion leaving the Cavan scrum half to pick up the loose ball and race untouched over the Virginia line leaving the conversion a formality. For their dominance in this game Virginia were only one concerted try ahead of Cavan and this side was there for either side . The second half now turned into a arm wrestle between the bigger pack of Cavan and the kicking game of Virginia. Virginia were enjoying the better of the terriorty and strong running from Fintain Reilly, Killian Cahill , and Liam Gordon keeping the Cavan side busy in defence but the final killer pass was slow coming it took over twenty minutes of play for the away side to unlock the home defence this saw James Igoe touch down in the corner leaving the came out of reach of the Cavan side. This is the way it ended up at the final whistle .
T. Owens, F. Brady, K. Cahill, F. Reilly , P. Mc Manus, S. Meehan,P. Flanagan,L. Gordon, C. Wogan, C. Mc Enroe,B. Gilmore (c), G. Daly, D. Farrelly, C. Flanagan, J. Igoe
