Connacht Junior League

Ballinrobe – 19
Creggs – 13

A late Noel Flynn penalty goal secured a losing bonus for Creggs in a hard fought league game in Ballinrobe on Sunday. Ballinrobe’s new pitch is very impressive and the home side roared into the game forcing Creggs on the defensive from the kick-off. After 2 minutes Creggs were rather harshly penalised in the tackle and outhalf Matthew Mannion tapped over a penalty to give his side an early lead. This was cancelled by a Noel Flynn penalty on 12 minutes before Mannion restored the lead in repeat circumstances with a second penalty 5 minutes later. Creggs came more into the game in the second quarter and took the lead when powerful second row Tom Fleming finished off a sweeping movement to score under the posts for a try converted by Flynn. The Creggs advantage was however short-lived with Ballinrobe regaining the lead on the stroke of half-time – a penalty on the 22 found Creggs asleep at the wheel and scrum half Jack Winters took a quick tap off before feeding his number 4 Padraig Moylett who touched down beside the posts, Mannion missed the easy conversion. 11-10 at the interval. The third quarter began much like the first, Ballinrobe upped the ante immediately from the kick-off, Creggs again on the defensive. Damien Miskell was carried off with a knee injury early in the second half and further injuries to front rows Aidan Leetch, Owen Kelly and Peter Corcoran depleted Creggs to the extent that for the last 10 minutes the game was played with uncontested scrums. John Mannion further extended Ballinrobe’s lead with an unconverted try in the right hand corner after 64 minutes before Matthew Mannion added a third penalty with 10 minutes to go. Flynn’s second penalty 2 minutes later ended the scoring. Creggs has suffered serious attrition with injuries to key players over the last couple of weeks. This weekend Creggs play host to Buccaneers likely to be fixed for Saturday evening, time not yet confirmed.

Creggs : K Rushe, O Kelly, A Leetch, B Donoghue, T Fleming, E Tully, N O’Rourke, T Callaghan, N Flynn, D Brandon, S Creamer, P Lohan, D Miskell, D Clinton, S Crehan.

Reserves : C Duignan, A Callaghan, P Corcoran, P McNeill, D Nee.