Corinthians – 10
Creggs – 29
Following this bonus point win over Corinthians in Galway on Saturday night Creggs top the league at the pivotal half way point. An unexpected blip the previous weekend had reduced Corinthians lead over Creggs to just 2 points and this result leaves Creggs 3 points clear with the teams meeting again in Creggs this Saturday night.
From the kick-off Creggs looked like they meant business, the pack determined to control all matters from the off and after 10 minutes the first chance fell to Creggs but Mark Brandon was slightly off target with a penalty attempt. The out-half made amends just a minute later when he landed from a more difficult position to give his side a 3 – nil lead. The forward exchanges evened out and the home side always looked dangerous on the break and a penalty on 32 minutes levelled the scoring and left the game evenly poised at half time. 5 minutes into the second half Creggs scored their first try finished by Alan Brandon following concerted forward pressure. Mark Brandon added the conversion.
Shortly afterwards scrum-half Andrew Callaghan sniped through the home defence to touch down following a series of forward drives, again converted by Mark Brandon. Corinthians were now 17-3 behind and an attempted counter attack resulted in an amazing try from Creggs no. 8 Kevin Brandon who executed the perfect jackal and sprinted clear from just inside the opposition half.
The game was now over as a contest, only question was if Creggs could secure the bonus, they duly did so when right-wing Luke Meehan crossed following a great break by second row Tom Fleming, Mark Brandon converting. A rather soft try from Corinthians at the finish was very much a consolation score but the teams go head to head again in Creggs on Saturday night and Corinthians will be anxious to avenge this defeat to prevent Creggs putting distance between themselves and the chasing pack. That includes Castlebar, NUIG and Tuam and with Creggs down to meet both Castlebar and Tuam this side of Christmas we are now clearly at the business end of the season.
Creggs : K Gavin, L Meehan, E Jennings, T Callaghan, A Duignan, M Brandon, A Callaghan, M Blighe, S O Higgins, A Leech, B Donoghue, T Fleming, J Brandon, A Brandon, K Brandon, E Farrell, E Coyle, P Lohan, M Farrell, D Nolan.