RUGBY: Cashel bounce back with emphatic home win over UL Bohemian

All Ireland Rugby League - Division 2A - Round 2

Cashel RFC 32

UL Bohemians 9

Round two of the All Ireland league brought UL/Bohs to Cashel on Saturday last. The game was played in sunny conditions with a light breeze. After a stop-start first half which continued into the second half Cashel eventually exploded into action in the last ten minutes to score two excellent tries and achieve a four try bonus point win which made up for the narrow late defeat of the previous Saturday.

Both sides were cagey in the first quarter with UL/Bohs dominating the early exchanges but Cashel defending comfortably, Alfredo Bergada putting in a very telling tackle. 

The visitors eventually drew first blood with a penalty after fifteen minutes which was cancelled by a similar score for Cashel on twenty two minutes by Ryan O'Sullivan who started the game on the wing.

A feature of the game was Cashel's dominance in the scrum and a much improved display in the lineouts. Cashel's front row of Cormac O'Donnell, Niall Fitzgerald and Brendan Ryan were rock solid, Brian 'Connor and Fearghaill O'Donoghue were lording it in the second row.

The back row of Liam Shine, James Ryan and Mikey Wilson were very effective going forward. As we approached the half hour mark a high ball from UL/Bohs was fielded by Richard Kingston who fed Alfredo Bergada.

James Ryan came into the line and got the ball to Ryan O'Sullivan on the wing. He scorched down the wing to score in the corner.

Richard Kingston was involved again five minutes later when he fielded a high ball inside his own half. He made ground into the opposition half. Brian O'Connor took it on at pace and passed to James Ryan who was on his shoulder to score. Ryan O'Sullivan converted. UL/Bohs came back strongly in the last few minutes of the half but Cashel defended well on their own line. The half ended with Cashel leading by 15 points to 3.

The wind aided Cashel slightly in the second half and they extended their lead by three points from the boot of Ryan O'Sullivan after six minutes when UL/Bohs were penalised for a high tackle.UL/Bohs dominated the next ten minutes and were awarded two penalties which they kicked to narrow the gap to nine points.

The score remained 18 points to 9 for the next fifteen minutes and it looked like both teams would settle for this result.
A good Cashel maul was pulled back for an infringement and a promising break by Brendan Crosse was also pulled back.
With ten minutes remaining Cashel got a foothold close to the UL/Bohs line. They won a number of scrum penalties and were now totally dominating this area of the game.

The referee eventually awarded Cashel a penalty try which the forwards richly deserved. This ended the game as a contest but the try bonus point was now achievable for Cashel.

With time running out it looked like the chance was lost but we saw the best score of the game as backs and forwards combined to put Josh Pickering in for a try which Ryan O'Sullivan converted.

A bonus point win which did not look on the cards during the middle third of the game became a reality and gave Cashel an important home win.

Cashel will need to be at their very best in round three on Friday night next when they travel to rejuvenated Nenagh who have had an explosive start to their season.

They have won their first two league games, are still in the Limerick Charity Cup and are in the semi final of the Munster Senior Cup, beating Division 1 side, Garryowen, on the way. It promises to be an intriguing battle.

Cashel team (1-20): C O'Donnell, N Fitzgerald, B Ryan, B O'Connor, F O'Donoghue, L Shine, J Ryan M Wilson, J Pickering J O'Dwyer, R O'Sullivan, C Cashman, B Murray, R Kingston, A Bergada, D Foley, J Evans, B Crosse, I Rqibi, P Leamy.