Charlie and card cruelly deny Ballina final date
Patrick Egan of Buccaneers is held up just short of the line by some resolute Ballina defending.
Connacht Rugby U18.5 Cup Semi-Final
Buccaneers 13
Ballina 13
At Dubarry Park, Athlone
Ballina were extremely unfortunate not to progress to the Connacht U18.5 Cup final when Charlie O’Carroll’s penalty from the last kick of a keenly-contested tussle earned Buccaneers a 13-13 draw at rainswept Dubarry Park. Buccs were perhaps that bit better but failed to transmit chances onto the scoreboard. Meanwhile, the visitors were more clinical with less opportunities and it was a heartbreaking result for them.
Despite the game ending in a draw, Buccaneers were awarded the result due to Ballina receiving a yellow card in the game while the Pirates had incurred none. It was a cruel way lose for the Mayo boys to exit the cup.
Conditions were truly challenging for the players and match officials with the wind blowing from goal-to-goal driving banks of rain throughout the contest on an understandably sodden surface while the large attendance could enjoy some refuge in the stand. Charlie O’Carroll opened the scoring with an excellent third minute penalty but with the breeze assisting them in the opening-half, Ballina enjoyed greater territory and levelled with a 14th minute Conor Connolly penalty.
Four minutes later, Buccs knocked-on a kick ahead inside their 22 and the taller Mayo pack got to work at the scrum and Jason Duggan finished off a maul for a try near the uprights with Connolly adding the conversion. Buccs began to show their attacking potential as the game progressed and ended the half on the opposition line but still trailing 10-3 at the break.
The Moysiders restarted on the offensive and it took stout defending by Niall Tallon to hold up his opposite number Oisin McNicholas on the home line. The Pirates enjoyed the better of the exchanges thereafter but Dylan Bruton was shunted into touch on the left before he could touch down. Buccs came tantalisingly close on a number of occasions with Patrick Egan, Thomas Sheehan and Tallon being held out within touching distance of the whitewash.
As the pressure intensified, Lorcan Hughes high tackle halted another break by Bruton and the Ballina prop was duly yellow-carded. While Buccs did not capitalise on their temporary numerical superiority, this sin-binning was to prove crucial. Lorcan McCormack made a terrific break for the homesters but, instead of off-loading to supporting runners, his ill-advised grubber kick was blocked. Nevertheless, the momentum was now with the Athlone side despite losing influential flanker Sean Rohan to injury and some further sustained endeavour was rewarded with the match in the final quarter when Thomas Cotton breached the Ballina defence for a well-worked try. O’Carroll converted to level the scores 10-10.
But the visitors retorted with Connolly driving over a fine late penalty to regain the lead with time running out. However, Buccs responded admirably to return to the offensive to pile on the pressure in a thrilling climax. They forced a penalty straight in front of the posts and Brian Tallon instructed his charges to take the points, which O’Carroll duly did. The team manager was aware that in the event of the game ending in a draw that Buccaneers would be awarded the result due to Ballina’s yellow card while the Pirates had incurred none.
It was a cruel way to lose for the visitors, for whom Connolly and McNicholas were their most effective performers, who then had to face a long trek home in the miserable weather Drier conditions and a firmer sod would have suited the Midlanders much better but they displayed commendable battling qualities and had splendid contributions by Egan, Tallon, O’Carroll and Tom Sheehan.
Buccaneers: D Bruton; C Dowling, T Cotton, T Sheehan, L McCormack; D Reid, C O’Carroll; J Casey, E McMickan, N Robinson; M Fallon, C Kelly; S Rohan, P Egan, N Tallon. Replacements: E Naughton (for McMickan ht), A Oates (for Robinson ht), E McMickan (for Rohan 42, inj), A Saka (for Fallon 47), M.S. Radebe (for Bruton 62, inj).
Ballina: P Barrett; J Healy, D Feeney, M Caden, A Healy; C Connolly, B Ruane; J Duggan, A Lynn, L Hughes; J O’Boyle, J Kenny; B Donohoe, J Bohan, O McNicholas. Replacements: P Geraghty, S Kenny, M Quinn, D Staunton, S Flynn-Heffernan.
REF: Gerry Geraghty (Connacht)
