Galwegians have opened up a 12-point lead in the Ulster Bank League’s division 2A after a seven-try blitz over Naas in Crowley Park on Saturday.
With four fixtures remaining, it puts the Galway side in the driving seat to win automatic promotion to the first division.
Last weekend scrum dominance provided the perfect platform for Wegians’ lively backs and they were on the scoreboard in the opening 10 minutes. Fullback John Cleary initiated the move, and from a quick ruck scrumhalf Coalin Blade fed the in-rushing centre Brian Murphy who battered through the defence for the opening try.
It did not look good for the visitors when they lost their No 8 to the sinbin, but Wegians could only muster a Ross Shaughnessy penalty during his absence.
However the home side never relinquished control, and it was prop Ja Naughton, cutting through the Naas defence, who set up the next score. Combining with No 8 Dan McCabe, Cleary finished off, beating three defenders to score in the corner. The conversion made the score 17 - 0.
With the visitors scrum backpedalling, Blade’s blindside snipe provided wing Colin Conroy with try No 3 before 30 minutes, and the bonus point try was completed from a rolling lineout maul with prop Jason East powering over from short range right on half time to make the score 27-0.
Naas did show their fighting spirit at the restart to post 10 points, but there was no chance of causing an upset. Winger Jerome Harimate and centre Rory Parata added tries to push the score to 37 - 10, and although Naas deserved their try with five minutes remaining, second row Brian McClearn was in position to grab the seventh try, rounding off another successful day for the Crowley Park outfit.
Galwegians: J Cleary, C Conroy, R Parata, B Murphy, J Harimate, R Shaughnessy, C Blade, J Naughton, C Muldoon, J East, D Nolan, B McClearn, E Rooney, E Earle, D McCabe. Substitutes: B Lee, D Clarke, R Fitzgearld, J Dineen, P Griffin, A Ryan, R Moore.
