Creggs expose cracks in Castlebar challenge
Castlebar slumped to a second league defeat this season, and a first at home, as poor starts to each half cost them dearly against Creggs.
Connacht J1A League – Round 5
Castlebar 12
Creggs 33
Stuart Tynan in Cloondeash
Castlebar slumped to a second league defeat this season, and a first at home, as poor starts to each half cost them dearly against Creggs last Saturday evening.
It was a much better visit to Mayo for Creggs than the previous week, when they slumped to defeat to Ballina following a last gasp penalty. But they had no such issues on this occasion thanks to an excellent defensive display, keeping the home side scoreless in the first-half.
Castlebar had plenty of the ball in the first-half but could not find a way through the aforementioned backline and they were caught against the run of play on 10 minutes when Shane Purcell pounced on a loose pass and broke through for his side’s first try, which he also converted, in what was the only scoring action of the opening half.
Spectators were only coming back out from the clubhouse following the half-time refreshments when Creggs scored a second try. Good play involving James Brandon saw the opportunity made and Darren Gately did not need a second invitation.
Things got worse for the home side when Creggs got a third try, coming from another loose ball by Castlebar, as second row Xavier Woodhouse broke away with a 40-metre burst to the try line, followed by a second conversion by Shane Purcell, to put the Roscommon side 19-0 up.
It looked bleak for the hosts at this stage but patient build-up play was rewarded as Castlebar finally broke through the Creggs backline and Rory Murphy opened up their account with a try, which was converted by Luke Walmsley.
But Creggs put the result beyond doubt after the restart after a sweeping move up the field was finished off by Woodhouse for his second try of the evening following a rolling maul over the line, and a wonderful conversion by Purcell to get Creggs the bonus point.
Another lineout maul saw Sean Óg Higgins score a fifth try for the visitors and while Castlebar did score a second try of their own through Damien Togher, Creggs held firm for their third win of the season.
Castlebar will hope to return to winning ways when they face Dunmore at home this Saturday evening at 7.30pm in their final league game of 2024.
Castlebar: Sean Tonra, Liam Hegarty, Ronan Ipek, Sean Connolly, Aaron Wooton, Kac Ormsby, Bryan O’Flaherty, Rory Upton, Zach Wright, Luke Walmsley, Connor O’Neill, Luke Staunton, Barry Walsh, James Baleski, Patrick Flannelly. Replacements: David O’Donnell, Richard Sweeney, Damien Togher, Orann Bourke, Joe Howley.
Creggs: Tom Farrell, Kolo Jr Kiripati, Thomas O’Brien, Ciaran Purcell, Xavier Woodhouse, Lee Kilcoyne, James Brandon, Brian Diffley, Mark Dowd, Shane Purcell, Chris Duignan, Eoghan Coyle, Mark Purcell, Mark Kilcommons, Darren Gately. Replacements: Tommie Devine, Ronan Cahill, Sean Óg Higgins, Cormac Dolan.
REF: Michael Honan
