Galwegians face a vital home game to bottom-placed Enniscorthy this Saturday at Crowley Park (2.30pm ).
They go into the game on the back of a stunning performance in Dublin, when for the second time this season, they produced a comeback to earn themselves a bonus-point draw in the All Ireland league division 2B.
Having reeled in Sligo at home in October, this time the Blues showed their growing belief to follow suit with 'The Chaps’ in D4, and they almost stole victory at the very death in what was an enthralling nine-try encounter on Saturday.
Last season Wanderers scored a combined 16 tries against the Blues over two AIL games, and they started off in the same vein with a try in the first minute when second-row Brian Quill finished off their first attack, and Ben Mahon added the extras for a 7-0 lead.
Wegians soon settled into their stride and opened their account on 16 minutes. After a long period of possession, their pressure was eventually rewarded when left-wing Shane Mallon grabbed his third try in successive games, finishing near the corner for an unconverted try.
The hosts, however, were more clinical in the opening half, scoring with their next meaningful attack when Quill bagged his brace with their second try, and Mahon again converted. Disaster struck then for the Blues five minutes later when they lost their own feed of a 5m scrum under their posts, and Wanderers needed no second invitation as Conor McQuaid fed David Fitzgibbon who crashed over - Mahon’s conversion putting them 16 points ahead.
However, this young Wegian team produced the perfect response. Almost straight from the restart the Blues were awarded a penalty on the 10m line, and from a quick tap scrumhalf Andrew Sherlock created the opportunity for his skipper and No 8 Kieran Downey who dived over, with full-back Darragh Kennedy adding the conversion to reduce the gap to 21-12 at the break.
In a free-flowing and high-scoring contest, the next score was going to prove vital and fortunately it was Galwegians' winger Shayne Bolton who showed immense strength and no little skill to dismiss the attention of four defenders and dive over near the right corner for another unconverted try.
With the gap down to four points, the hosts upped the tempo and sensibly opted for a kick at goal to restore a seven point lead before the scored a fourth try from a line-out maul, with Mahon's conversion putting them 14 points clear.
However the final quarter belonged to Wegians who mustered all their strength and energy to put the hosts to the sword. They played some scintillating rugby, and with ten minutes remaining they scored arguably the try of the game. From deep inside their own 22, outhalf Jordan Thompson launched a chip over the top which Mallon regathered, and he ran past a few defenders before finishing in the corner for his brace, and the bonus fourth try. Kennedy landed an excellent conversion to reduce the deficit to seven points.
With the momentum the Blues almost up they got their just rewards. Centre Mark Earle received the ball on the 22, sold a dummy and had the pace and strength to make the line for an excellent individual try. Kennedy kept his nerve to land the conversion and level the game.
The Blues still had two chances to seal the win with two late penalties. Earle tried his luck first with a shot well inside his own half, and moments later Kennedy had a chance just inside the opposition half, only to pull his effort narrowly wide.
It was a heart-stopping end to an incredible match with both sides gaining three points each.
Galwegians: D Kennedy, S Bolton, M Earle, R Deacy, S Mallon, J Thompson, S Sherlock, K Downey (c ), D Keane, B McGuinness, B Guilfoyle, M Loughlin, M McColgan, C Joyce, J Winters. Subs: C Reilly, S Holloway, P Hackett, K Langan, K Waterman.
