Tipperary Rugby: Debut boys help 14-man Cashel to fighting away win in Greystones

All Ireland League Division 2A

Greystones 20 Cashel 32

Round three of the All Ireland league brought Cashel to Greystones, county Wicklow on Saturday last - a beautiful town bathed in sunshine. Conditions were perfect for rugby and it was clear from the start that both teams wanted to play running rugby. Cashel made a number of enforced changes which afforded Harry Fitzgerald the opportunity to make his AIL debut on the wing.

Both teams gave away a number of penalties early on in the game but no scores came from that source.
In the tenth minute Cashel forwards were going through the phases on the home 22, a pass was intercepted and the Greystones winger took off at a blistering pace. He outpaced the Cashel defence except for Jack Evenden who made up huge ground to put in a try saving tackle.

For the next ten minutes it was an arm wrestle. The deadlock was broken after 18 minutes when Cashel dropped a ball in a maul on half way, Greystones picked up the loose ball and were in for a try in the corner.

Cashel responded well with the forwards working hard to gain field position. After a number of phases the ball was whipped to Jack Evenden and weaved his way over for a try which Ben Twomey converted.

At this stage Cashel were all powerful in the scrum and the lineout was working well. They were unlucky to lose a man to the bin for a deliberate knock on. Greystones were almost in again from a breakaway but their player let the ball slip as he approached the line.

Brendan Crosse won a penalty for Cashel at the breakdown to put them back on the attack again. Then disaster struck as they pounded the Greystones line. A Cashel player was deemed to have put in a head high hit at the ruck and received a red card. It was a marginal decision but it is flavour of the month in rugby at the moment. It was a severe blow in such a tight game.
Cashel finished the half well with a Ben Twomey penalty to leave the half time score Greystones 5 Cashel 10.

Dylan Foley and Tom Tobin, also making his All Ireland league debut, came on for Cashel at half time. It took Greystaones six minutes to take the lead. Cashel were caught in possession at the breakdown on half way, Greystones took it quickly and in a sweeping movement they scored a converted try to go two points ahead.

Facing the breeze down to 14 men and two points behind Cashel had been knocked back but as Muhammad Ali said “You don't lose if you get knocked down: you lose if you don't get up” and how Cashel got up.

For the next 34 minutes they played as if their lives depended on the result. From the kick off they gained possession, Jack Evenden chipped to the right corner and six minutes into his debut Tom Tobin raced onto the ball and scored in the corner.
Cashel were caught offside on 57 minutes and Greystones levelled the game, at 15 points each, with the penalty.
The kick off went directly into touch giving Greystones a scrum on half way. The Cashel seven pushed the Greystones eight off their own ball. Cashel were awarded a penalty which they kicked to the corner. Winning the lineout they set up a maul and Brendan Crosse touched down. Ben Twomey converted.

Greystones threw everything they had at Cashel but the defence stayed strong. On 71 minutes as Cashel were using the driving maul on half way. Scrum half Kevin O’Connor broke from the back and gained 20 meters. He fed Tom Tobin on the wing and he raced under the posts for a bonus point try. Ben Twomey converted.
From the kick off he put a wonderful kick into Greystones territory for a 50-22. As time ran out he kicked another penalty to put Cashel 17 points ahead. Deep in injury time Greystones had the last word with a try.
Final Score Greystones 20 Cashel 32.
This was a victory based on guts and determination and as they faced adversity each player to a man stood up to be counted.
Ed Kelly, Brendan Crosse and Brian O’Connor won all their own ball in the lineout. They dominated the scrum where Cormac O’Donnell, Niall Fitzgerald, Brendan Ryan and in the second half Dylan Foley were powerful. Ciaran Ryan and James Ryan were outstanding and covered every blade of grass on the field. The backs to a man stood up and tackled all day. In attack they were adventurous with Jack Evenden and Kevin O’Connor pulling the strings. Ben Twomey was majestic with the boot. James O’Sullivan, his brother Ryan, Richard Kingston and Harry Fitzgerald defended all day. Tom Tobin, when he came on had a huge impact on the game and scored two fine tries.

This was an important win on the road for Cashel. They sit second in the table behind Nenagh who have won all their games to date. Club rugby takes a rest next weekend for the Worl Cup final.

BALLYMENA NEXT UP
On November 4 Cashel play Ballymena at Spafield.

Cashel team (1-20) C O’Donnell, N Fitzgerald, B Ryan, B Crosse, E Kelly, B O’Connor, J Ryan, C Ryan, K O’Connor, J Evenden, H Fitzgerald, R O’Sullivan, R Kingston, J O’Sullivan, B Twomey, D Foley, J Evans, H O’Donoghue, T Tobin, J Armshaw.