U16 Football ‘A’ Championship Round 2 match report

The Bollybodon chaps lined out as follows;

The Forwards:

1. Loosehead Prop – Eamonn O’Dea

2. Hooker – Kevin Hickey

3. Tighthead Prop – Joe Maguire

4. Lock – David Monahan

5. Lock – Harry Donaghy

6. Blindside Flanker – Eoghan Gannon

7. Openside Flanker – Cian Leahy

8. Number 8 – Harry Colcough

The Backs:

9. Scrum Half – Eoin Behan

10. Fly Half – Luke Mulligan Lynch

11. Left Wing – Alex Gavin

12. Inside centre – Ryan O’Dwyer

13. Outside centre – David Kane

14. Right Wing – Daragh Kenny

15. Full Back – Luke Byrne

Replacements: Nathan Mullen, Daire Sweeney, Rian Power, Oran Dunne, Michael McDonald, Dean Jackson.

At the beginning of the game, when the teams set up in centre field for the 2 man line out, I was so confused. The backs were forward, the forwards were backs, the inside centre was outside, the full back was full forward and the bloddy loosehead prop just stood under the posts. Trust you muck savages to make a pigs ear of Gods sport.

The game began at pace with some inspirational running down the Blindside from Donaghy, Colcough and Leahy. Setting up a, quite magnificent, Chip Kick from the wirey Eoin Behan leading to the first of several drop goals. The ruffians from St. Vincent’s, wherever the blazzes that is, kept in touch with a couple of penalties for the odd stray ankle tap from the Beau-Den forwards, no backs, no forwards, Oh heavens above………. the blindside flanker. There was a fantastic Charge Down from young Monahan that seemed to ignite the spirit of the whole team. “Fortis et velox”, I roared at the lad, reminding me of my own sporting prowess. It means, “Strong and Swift” for the uneducated bog trotters out there.

A robust affair got to the half time break, 10 minutes early I might add, with Beau-Den leading 0-7 to 0-4.

The 2nd period saw the introduction of some replacements, Dunne, Power and Sweeney. It’s the modern way you know, although you probably don’t. But take it from me it is, you bunch of cabbage munching half wits. Obviously the immortal words “Labor omnia vincit” were uttered at half time, by the excuses for Head Coaches – Not a suit, sports jacket nor tie amongst the 3 of them. Philistines. Anyway, ‘Work wins everything” and those Beau-Den chaps displayed it with a gusto. The Front Five were phenomenal, Sweeney, Kane, Byrne, Mulligan-Lynch and O’Dwyer. Well placed little Grubber Kicks intertwined with the odd Garryowen led to some breath taking scores.

St. Vincents didn’t lie down, they had there own “Virtus in arduis” or ‘courage in difficulties’ for the great unwashed. Some fantastic scrummaging led to a string of fine scores although there was a suspicion of a Knock On in the lead up to every one of them. There were a couple of feisty rucks developing and although the referee brandished a few yellow cards, not one player attended the Sin Bin. Insubordination of the highest order. The “Fighting Spirit” of Maguire and Dunne was reminiscent of the great Ginger McLoughin try against the ‘old enemy’, in the ‘82 Triple Crown winning team. Be still my beating heart.

The touch judge raised his flag signalling the entrance of Mullen and Jackson. Beau-Den saw out the game with a superiority of a private education in a GAA bar. Bollybodon tasted the sweet nectar of victory on a score line of 3-10 to 0-8.

Roll on St. Catherine’s in the last group game in a couple of weeks. As they would say in such faux institutions like The Nure, “Illegitimi non carborundum”

Back Row: Daragh Kenny, Alex Gavin (0-1), Oran Dunne (Technical Knockout), Ryan O’Dwyer (1-1 & Jaw Realignment), Harry Colcough (0-1), Michael McDonald, Joe Maguire (Right Uppercut), Rian Power, Cian Hassett (Mascot), Dean Jackson, Eamon O’Dea, David Monahan

Front Row: Cian Leahy (Black Card Dodger), Kevin Hickey, Eoin Behan (0-1), Harry Donaghy,  Luke Byrne (1-5), David Kane (1-1), Nathan Mullen, Eoghan Gannon (Yellow Card Dodger), Luke Mulligan Lynch, Daire Sweeney