Sunday’s Well dig deep for victory

A HARD-FOUGHT third division AIB league fixture at Musgrave Park ended in victory for the home side yesterday.

Mon, 29 Oct, 2007 - 00:00

Sunday’s Well 14 Connemara 5 Barry Coughlan

The Well powered into the lead after just two minutes with a fine try from winger Dave Twohig. Jono Lynch then gave them an eight-point advantage at the break with a late first-half penalty.

But Sunday’s Well lived dangerously throughout the third quarter. It wasn’t what head coach Tommy Crowe expected or wanted.

“We had a couple of heart-stopping moments in the third quarter, but I have to give credit to the guys for their fantastic blanket defence.

“They were on the back foot for long periods in that spell, but the tackles went in and they frustrated Connemara with the ferocity of the tackles. Okay, they conceded a try, but they got their act together immediately afterwards and came storming back into the match,” he said.

Connemara came out with all guns blazing in the third quarter and scored a fine try. They could have had a few more were it not for the dogged resistance of the Sunday’s Well defence.

Connemara coach Henry O’Toole admitted: “We didn’t take the chances. We had them on the rack at times, but just couldn’t quite get over the gain line. We didn’t take our opportunities, they took theirs and that was the difference”.

After conceding the try, the Well sprang back into action, Lynch kicking a 68th-minute penalty for an 11-5 lead and adding another two minutes from the end to make it safe. It was a deserved victory, but Connemara will feel cheated at not having got a bonus point.

SUNDAY’S WELL: C. Corkery, A. O’Brien, J. Lynch, S. Carolin, D. Twohig, T. Taoiloa, R. Carroll, R. McKinney, J. Moynihan, F. Moynihan, E. Murphy, I. Caroll (captain), D. Coppinger, T. Tasola, J. Rose. Replacements. M. Murphy for Rose (injured, 10), J. Moynihan for F. Moynihan (55).

CONNEMARA: J. O’Brien, Peter O’Toole, M. Aspell, B. Keaney, M Joyce, Paddy O’Toole, D. Keogh, K. Ward, A. Pryce, E. Ferron, C. McDonnell, K. Keogh, A. Kelly, G. Burke (captain), O. Delap. Replacements. P. Flanagan for O’Brien (injured 46), M. Coyne for Kelly (80).

Referee: B. O’Keeffe (IRFU).