Creggs travelled to Dangan to play UG in the opening round of the Connacht Junior Cup on Sunday. Creggs got off to a positive start with an early try by winger Mikey Dunne which Ronan Dowd converted with a fine kick from the touchline. The students responded with two successful penalty kicks by out-half Ben Clarke before some superb handling by the Creggs backs released Mikey Dunne for his second try out wide after just 16 minutes of play.

Creggs went further ahead in the 22nd minute when another outstanding handling move created an overlap for winger Dean O’Reilly to score in the right corner before Mikey Dunne completed his hat-trick for Creggs to lead by 22-6.Shortly afterwards Ronan Dowd sliced through the UG defence for an outstanding solo try which he also converted to stretch the Creggs lead before College got in for a converted try under the posts to reduce the deficit to 29 -13 at halftime. Despite having a player in the sin-bin Creggs went further ahead when fullback Shane Dowd broke through for a sixth try which his brother Ronan converted with a sublime kick from the sideline. With the backline now in full flow Shane Dowd sprinted clear for another fine try before College winger Eoghan Cullen scored a well-worked try for the home team. Mikey Dunne added his fourth try of the afternoon in the 58th minute with another searing run to push Creggs ahead by 48 -18.Centre Eoghan Coyle then showed his class with a brilliant run from halfway to score a ninth try in the 65th minute. To their credit College kept going to the end and scored a third try before Cathal Feely completed the scoring with a well deserved try in the closing minutes of the game. Creggs must now travel to Headford to play Corrib in the quarter-final on February 8th. Before that they face Ballinasloe away in a vital J1A league game next weekend. While it was the backs who scored all the tries against UG the platform was laid by the Creggs pack who gradually subdued their effective opponents winning quality possession which the halfbacks Cormac Dolan and Ronan Dowd used to good effect.

Photos thanks to Steve Fahey Foxshots77