Last Saturday saw our Blue Bulls travel to Donnybrook to face Old Wesley in the AIL div 2a.
This was only the second time the sides had meet at senior AIL Level and NUIM Barnhall RFC had tasted defeat on the first outing and did not want a repeat this time around.
With all 6 top of the table teams meeting this weekend, there would be a change at the top and hopefully some value places on offer to the successful teams.
The day started off well as the Blue Bulls travelling in the short journey to Donnybrook but as the team took to the field the heavens had opened up and unleased a monsoon of rain on the pitch.
It was a good start by the Blue Bulls as they forced an early penalty from the kick off and managed to bring play down to the Wesley 22 and with the line out won by Conor McDermott allowed NUIM Barnhall to force another penalty for not rolling away and this would give Full back Simon Gillespie his first chance of the day at the posts. With the rain pouring down Simon was unlucky not to get over and the score remained 0-0 after 4 mins.
Both teams were evenly matched in the early exchanges with both sides defending well and putting in some big hits. The turn over count in the match was always going to be high as the ball was very slippy in the wet with the both defences being strong it did not look like it would be a high scoring match for either team on the day.
It was round 10 minutes when the first the score came as NUIM Barnhall got a turnover in the scrum which was going well for the Blue Bulls with the big front three of Ray Dufficy, Gareth Murray and Dan Jennings forcing the Wesley Scrum back each time.
With the turnover allowed the visitors to drive hard and force another penalty for off side at the ruck. Simon kicked for touch to set up the line out. Line Out won and the ball was well distributed out to the backs were centre Dave Stewart saw some space behind and tried a grubber kick to put number 13 Michael Brown into space, but Wesley managed to collect well and then countered very well and pressed up the park. This allowed Wesley to force a penalty right in front of the posts as NUIM Barnhall scrambled back to defend against the Wesley counter attack.
The Wesley 10 Roy Stynes was not going to miss from this distance and slotted the 3 points over the bar to make it 3-0 to the home side after 12 minutes.
It was another 3 points for the home side after the re-start as this challenged the Blue Bulls defence once again and won another penalty for holding on which Roy Stynes converted to make it 6-0 to the home side after 15 minutes.
NUIM Barnhall re-grouped well after the re-start and tried to break the Wesley back line with some great darting runs by Rob McGrath and Farrell McManus and the ever faithful out half Chris Winks looking to find space at every turn but as the minutes ticked on the Blue Bulls could not break Old Wesley and they kept the visitors at bay.
Again Old Wesley managed to counter attack very well and on 31 minutes managed to break Blue Bulls hearts as they pounced on a silly knock on by the Blue Bulls and were first to get to the ball to dive under the posts for a great try with was converted again by Roy Stynes to make it 13-0 to Wesley.
NUIM Barnhall tried again to break through but again Wesley kept them out but NUIM Barnhall did manage to force a penalty on the stroke of half time but again with the rain and wind playing a big factor in the game and a difficulty angle for Simon Gillespie would mean that the ball went wide of the posts and the game finished 13-0 to Old Wesley at the half.
Some changes at half time with Lee Mitchell and Ben Harrison coming on up front in the pack to try and add another dimension to the NUIM Barnhall RFC game. The second half started pretty much the same as the first with slippy wet ball forcing knock on after knock on by both sides.
NUIM Barnhall did manage to get within 5 metres of the Wesley line but unforced error count playing very big in this game allowed another knock on which allowed Wesley to clear the lines once again and get out of danger.
Full back Simon Gillespie did manage to get on the score board after 53 minutes as some of the luck with the Blue Bulls way and they managed to force a penalty for not rolling away in the ruck and brought the score to 13-3.
Wesley were trying hard not to let the Blue Bulls get a foot hold in the game and just when it looked like the Blue bulls were going to strike an intercept pass by Old Wesley sub number 19 Ben Horan would see him power up the line to go over for another Wesley try with was converted again by number 10 Roy Stynes to make it 20-3 to the home side after 63 minutes.
There was still time for the Blue Bulls to come back into the game and the visitors were now pushing Wesley hard and managed on several occasions to get within touching distance of a score but Wesley managed each time to keep the Blue Bulls out. It was the pure strength and power of Ben Harrison who managed to get the Visitors within 5 metres and the line out stolen saw a great driving maul bring the Blue bulls to the Wesley line and it was Second row John Campbell who finished off a great Blue Bull try and with Simon Gillespie taking the conversion brought the score to 20-11 with 7 minutes remaining.
NUIM Barnhall pushed again hard and were going for anther score to bring the score even closer but Wesley managed to get another counter attack going and drove back at the Blue Bulls and forced another penalty inside the Bulls 22 and with number 10 Roy Stynes on form today brought the score to 23-11 on 78 minutes.
That is all she wrote on the score line and the game ended in another defeat for the battle hardened Blue Bulls.
This week sees our Blue Bulls host Old Cresent in Parsonstown at 2.30pm on Saturday.
Feel
“THE PRIDE, THE PASSION, THE BLUE”
Player Positions
1. Dan Jennings
2. Gareth Murray
3. Ray Dufficy
4. John Campbell
5. Conor McDermott
6. Barry Dunne (c)
7. Sam Condon
8. Tom McKeown
9. Robert Holt
10. Chris Winks
11. Robbie McGrath
12. David Stewart
13. Michael Brown
14. Farrell McManus
15. Simon Gillespie
16. Ben Harrison
17. Lee Mitchell
18. Conor Feeney
19. Robbie Mullen
20. Karl Darragh
