At the weekend Tir Chonaill rfc from the Rosses travelled to Stranorlar to play a new look Finn Valley side in the season opener in Ulster minor league.
From the kick off the Rosses men were determined to build on last season’s great finish and were unlucky in the first 10 minutes not to be ahead with an unsuccesful drop goal attempt and a missed penalty for an infringement in the ruck.
It wasn’t until the 33rd minute that a score was on the board with the home team converting a penalty for a hands in the ruck infringement.
Just before the break Tir Chonaill missed another penalty so at half time the home side had a 3-0 advantage.
The first half was an end to end affair both sides defending well and some good kicking from both sides, the second half was pretty much the same with the home side missing an early penalty.
Tir Chonaill stepped up a gear with some good passing and off loading with resulted in the home side conceding yet another penalty with robert wherley duely converting levelling up the contest.
Finn Valley kicked off and Tir Chonaill ran at them again with Kevin Curran, Martin McGgarvey and JP Baska making great yards, and from a ruck set up ball was produced to the ever so lively robert wherley to convert a drop goal to edge ahead.
That was as good as it got for the visitors, from the kick off ball was recycled back by the home side and some good passing and over lapping saw them run in a try that was unconverted.valley 8-6 ahead.With just ten mins remaining another penalty was conceded and valley increased there lead to 11-6.
Tir chonaill pressed the home side back into there ten metre line from the kick off but ball was lost in a ruck and from the resulting kick the ball took a wicked bounce deceiving the Tir chonaill backs and fell kindly to the on rushing valley players,with to many players caught to high up in the field valley ran in another try to end the contest final score Finn valley 16-6 Tir chonaill
Some good displays from the Rosses men including full back kevin curran and the captain martin mc garvey, all in the pack putting in a huge effort and with jason greene and conor shovlin making there debuts in rugby and special mention goes to the Tir chonaill physio Mick Patterson who had a busy day helping out both sides.Well done to Finn Valley and action moves to Carrickfinn in two weeks’ for a home game against Ballymoney 5 rfc.
Tags:
