Galwegians face a must-win fixture in Saturday’s Ulster Bank League if they harbour real hopes of forcing their way into the top four.
After a slow start to the season, Galwegians have found form, moving them within touching distance of the title contenders. However they must overcome visitors Midleton in their division 2a clash at Crowley Park (2.30pm ) to continue that momentum.
The County Cork side has struggled in the division, and Galwegians should clear this hurdle if they do not take Jason Holland’s Midleton too lightly.
Wegians had a worthy warm-up last weekend when they ran first division champions St Mary's close in the All Ireland Bateman Cup semi-final in Crowley Park.
In the end the league champions, who always had their noses in front, had sufficient experience to see off their division 2 opponents by 30-22, advancing to this year’s final where they meet Cork Constitution.
Although Wegians started well, they were punished when St Mary’s wing Steven Toal-Lennon scored and converted a breakaway try in the 10th minute.
The home side continued to pressure the visitors up front, but they struggled to live with St Mary's pace and, at the end of the first quarter, Mary's doubled their lead with a second breakaway try out of defence, this time hooker Dylan Fawcett getting on the end of the move to ground the ball over the line, with Toal-Lennon again adding the extras.
However the Glenina outfit got right back into the game when they scored their first try of the game. It came from a solid forward platform and was finished by winger Paddy Finn to leave the gap 14-5. Encouraged by the score and the dominance of their forwards, the home side pushed for a second score before half time. It duly arrived when they opted to kick a penalty to the corner, and a well-worked rolling maul saw prop Jason East claim the touchdown. Clarke’s conversion reduced the half-time arrears to 14-12.
An early penalty from Toal-Lennon stretched the margin to five points after Wegians lost the ball at a defensive lineout, and although the home side spent the next 10 minutes in the St Mary's half, they wasted opportunities to score. In contrast Mary’s scored each time they entered the Wegians 22 and No 8 Gareth Austin claimed a third try from a driving maul, with Toal-Lennon converting.
Helped by the sinbinning of St Mary's second row Gerry Sexton on 65 minutes, Wegians made the advantage count with a penalty try converted by Tadgh Leader. With just five between the sides, Wegians piled on the pressure as they tried to make the extra man count, but excellent St Mary's defence kept them at bay.
The visitors proved their division ones status when they kept their noses in front with another penalty, and although Wegians responded with a Leader penalty with three minutes, Mary’s forced another mistake to seal the game.
Galwegians XV: J Cleary, P Finn, B Murphy, G O'Brien, C Conroy (cpt ), D Clarke, B Lee, J Naughton, C Muldoon, J East, A Ryan, B McClearn, R Fitzgerald, I Muldoon, E Rooney,Replacements, T Leader, R Burke, G Brady, P Griffin, E Earle, E Tarmey, K O'Shea.
