Old Belvedere’s muscle men power way to promotion

Clonakilty 8 Old Belvedere 10

Showcasing considerable firepower and nous up front, and forging their second and decisive try on a powerful rolling maul, Old Belvedere showed that D4 clubs are not just weavers of pretty patterns out wide. On top of showcasing their blue collar work ethic, ‘Belvo’ were also victorious on their fifth visit to Munster this season, beating the men of the south at their own game.

One of the Anglesea Road club’s most famous sons, AJF O’Reilly, was present for the celebrations, watching the side he sponsors win a war of attrition against a Clonakilty side that hasn’t lost a home league game this season.

At the start of the season, Old Belvedere had pencilled in their first visit to Clonakilty in the AIL as a ‘weekend getaway’, but little did they realise that their visit would also involve a bid to seal promotion and guarantee a bevy of Dublin 4 derbies next season in Division One.

“We’re definitely not afraid to mix it,” said Belvedere player/coach Richie Murphy afterwards, “and we would pride ourselves on having a reasonably good pack of forwards. We’ve been down in Munster five times this year and won five times which doesn’t happen very often. When conditions say that we need to play tight, we can play tight, and if conditions dictate we can play wide we can do that as well.”

The club which also produced 1982 Triple Crown-winning out half, Ollie Campbell, is back amongst the elite, and to Murphy and to a host of Old Belvedereans, promotion means everything.

“Over the last number of years Old Belvedere has underachieved, and that’s the way it has been looked at in the club. We’re nine years out of Division One now.

“We brought in quite a young coaching staff, we’ve built a good team spirit in building the team, and that’s really what’s seen us through.”

Clonakilty coach Terry Dillon, who described their Shannonvale fortress as their ‘castle’, said there was no shame losing to the runaway league leaders.

Belvo laid down a marker early on that they weren’t going to be bullied up front. From numbers four to eight they fielded some powerfully built players, but Clon didn’t shirk the big hits, repelling countless early Belvo drives around the fringes.

The home side did allow the Dublin 4 outfit in for an easy try on nine minutes when Ruairi Cushion broke from a line-out maul just outside the 22 and stole up the blindside. Leinster out half Andy Dunne missed the conversion.

Clon gradually muscled their way into the game and weren’t afraid to spread the ball despite the mucky underfoot conditions. David Cookson always looked threatening from scrum- half while Lombard and Shay O’Donovan caused Belvedere anxious moments out wide. Lombard landed a penalty in the 22nd minutes and when Belvedere were reduced to thirteen men after Dave Shanley was sin-binned for an alleged spear-tackle, Clon took advantage.

The west Cork men were aided by a poor defensive clearance by Dunne whose naive cross-field kick was intercepted by Cookson. The tigerish scrum half drew the Belvo defence before cleverly dispatching to the speedy O’Donovan who scored. Lombard missed the conversion.

Belvedere finished the half strongly and retook the lead six minutes from half time when Erik Jackman touched down from a superbly choreographed 10m lineout maul.

Defences were on top on the turnover, and though Clon were under pressure inside their own 22 for long periods, they weren’t afraid to run the ball out of their 22. Belvedere however, were quick to closed down space.

“Any team to come down here and beat us must be reckoned with,” said Dillon, before eyeing up the possibility of both sides clashing again in the

Division Two play offs. “I wouldn’t be afraid to have another crack at them. Our lads would relish it.”