Buccaneers qualified for the Premier Division in the forthcoming Leinster J P Fanagan U-20 League where they will compete for the first time this season.
Here they will compete against top-notch opposition including UCD and Lansdowne. The Midlanders earned this opportunity to pit their wits at this level through victories over Greystones and Naas.
They commenced their bid with a tricky assignment away to Greystones at Dr Hickey Park where the teams were level 13-13 at half time. A dogged opening hour continued to unfold before the Athlone side clicked in the final quarter, their fitness proving crucial. Tom Finucane led the way with a brace of tries with Ross Cooper and Neale Conway also dotting down. Charlie McMickan converted all four tries and also landed three penalties for a haul of 17 points.
Conor Morrissey and James Foley were other young Buccs to excel. Buccs followed that up with a tight 11-9 home win over Naas. The Midlanders, depleted through injuries, did not play to the same heights as in the previous win but, with Conor Kenny and Paddy Browne giving it their all, the Pirates prevailed. Ross Cooper scored the decisive try and Browne added a pair of penalties for this vital victory that confirmed qualification.
Buccaneers squad: C Walsh (captain ), R O’Meara, C Kenny, C O’Brien, L Seery, G O’Hara, C Morrissey, R Cooper, P Browne, C McMickan, T Finucane, J Foley, E Slevin, O Rowe, N Conway, K Jocher, P Flannery, J O’Keeffe, B Kennedy, P Daly, B Collins, C Cleary, N O’Kane, B McEvoy, J Daly, and J Wentzel.
