Creggs RFC 27 Ballina RFC 14

Creggs RFC played Ballina RFC in the U14 Division 1 League last Saturday morning in Creggs and came away with a 27-14 Win. Creggs Began the game well and after 6 minutes took the lead after a 5 metre scrum when Number 8 Jack Keegan picked the ball and burst over the line for the opening score. Creggs were doing well up front and Eric O Doherty, Jack Hanlley, Aodha Hession and Jack Tucker were prominent in the early exchanges and carried the ball well. After 13 Minutes Leigh Doyle picked from the back of the ruck and fed Mark Purcell who put in a cross field kick which the Ballina defender found hard to deal with and carried over his own line, from the resultant 5 metre Jack Keegan again picked and burst over for his second try which was converted by Mark Purcell to leave the score 12-0.

Ballina RFC then had their best period in the first half and when they were awarded a penalty on the 10 metre line after 19 minutes they ran the ball quickly and found a gap in the Creggs defence which hadn’t reorganised quickly enough and ran in under the posts for a try which was converted leaving the score 12-7. Creggs were awarded a penalty from the kick off and Mark Purcell kicked the penalty and stretched the lead to 15-7 at half time.

In the second half Creggs continued to do well up front and Tom Farrell, Evan Commiskey, Diarmuid Quinn were making it very hard for Ballina at ruck time and turning over ball time after time and out wide Paddy Gannon , Cian Gannon and Roddie McGuinness were now finding spaces in the Ballina defence. Creggs Continued to attack and Lorcan Maher and Andrew Naughton who had done well since their introduction made a break and went to ground , Mark Purcell again put in a cross field kick which Sean Tully did well to pressurise the defender and Jack McGahon got the important touch down which was converted by Mark Purcell Leaving the score 22-7.

Creggs introduced Sean Quinn and Eoin Dowd who did well on the wings and kept Creggs going forward and they scored one final try through Jack Keegan after 20 minutes however Ballina had the last word with a try and conversion themselves in the last minute of the game, leaving the final score 27-14.