Galwegians host Malahide when the sides meet for the first time in the All Ireland League at Crowley Park on Saturday, kick-off 2.30pm.
After a tough start to the season and a third defeat when losing 19-13 to Blackrock in Dublin last Saturday, new coach Andrew Browne will be hopeful of making a statement at home on Saturday, particularly after Wegians produced a superb fightback last weekend.
It ensured Galwegians earned a valuable bonus point to keep them within touch of mid table although they came up just short against the undefeated Blackrock College in this Energia AIL Division 2B game last Saturday.
Rock started well, and playing with a strong first-half breeze, they made their advantage count. They went 16-0 ahead, thanks to a converted try and three penalties from Peter Quirke.
Despite this scoreline, the Blues were defending reasonably well, while a solid set-piece was causing the hosts some trouble. And they gave themselves a lifeline just before the break when some good forward play and a series of drives was finished by No 8 Kieran Downey, reducing the margin to 16-5 at the break.
In the second half the Blues took the upper hand, setting up camp deep in opposition territory. Midway through the third quarter, they got right back into it with a second try from Downey, who again finished off some hard work from his pack, but the conversion was off target.
Still very much in the match at 16-10, they let their hosts somewhat off the hook shortly afterwards when they were reduced to 14 men, and Rock took advantage to extend their lead to 19-10 with another penalty. However when back to a full complement, the visitors got back to bonus point territory when out-half Ewan Strang landed a penalty. This set up a grandstand finish, and Wegians had a late chance with an attacking lineout, only to cough up possession and with it the chance of snatching victory.
Galwegians XV: Conor O’Shaughnessy, Sandile Sibande, Diarmuid Kilgallen, Daniel Faulkner, Hugh Lane, Ewan Strang, Rory Gaffney, Shane Ryan, Christy Reilly, Ryan Lomas, Eoin Tarmey, Marty Cummins (C ), Josh Dunne, Paul Hackett, Kieran Downey. Subs: Andrew Paton, Stephen Hyland, Michael O’Donnell, Eamonn Dowling, James Kennedy/
