Tries, tribulations and kicks of all kinds as Tullow stun Seapoint
Tullow's Stephen Smith charges at the Suttonians defence.
A disappointing season so far could be about to turn as Tullow took a bonus-point victory from one of the promotion Leinster League Division 1A contenders on Saturday in St Michael College. The match had been changed from Kilbogget Park, Killiney because of doubts about the Seapoint pitch. The all-weather pitch at the rugby school would have been similar to Tullow’s own pitch at Blackgates which did their challenge no harm at all.
Yet by the 25th minute, the Slaneysiders found themselves 19-3 in arrears. An Adam Johnson penalty nudged Tullow in front but that was a false dawn. In a 15 minute spell, Seapoint ripped the Tullow defence to shreds with tries from David O’Reilly, James Newman and Liam Forster. All bar the third try was eminently stoppable with Tullow players marked absent as they failed to cut down the space and put in the tackle.
Afterwards, Maurice Logue, the Tullow manager, drew parallels to a similar start last week but noted the reaction of the squad was different this time.
“We have been training really well. We were very disappointed with Tullamore last week. I thought Tullamore were very good. We gave them a lead. We gave Seapoint an early lead today and we clawed it back earlier. That gave us a chance to go on and win the game. That is basically it,” he said.
The second quarter belonged to Tullow whose performance to their opening show was comparing light to day.
With an advantage penalty coming, Joe Waters didn’t wait and came up with the ball after the pack drove over the line. Dara Cosgrove converted. When the Tullow pack got motoring again, this time Jack McDonald got the credit for touching down. Cosgrove added the points and at the break, the hosts led 19-17.
“There was huge character from the players. In fairness to the players, Sean O’Brien took them aside a couple of weeks ago. He told them a few home truths,” revealed Logue.
Early in the second half, penalties were exchanged which kept Seapoint ahead. Towards the end of the quarter, Tullow went back in front when Ezrah Vai went in under the posts for another converted try. Now they were five points up and if Logue is looking for a stick to beat his players with in training this week, it was their failure to drive on when they went into the lead.
For once fortune favoured them when Seapoint lost possession on the left at the Tullow 22. In came Peter Burgess and picking up a loose ball he ran past the Seapoint cover to score at the other end of the field.
Just as they had done earlier, Tullow had some defending to do. This time a scrum penalty saw them clear their lines. They made it pay when a Cosgrove 35 metre penalty on the right saw them go eight clear.
“We wanted do better. I think leaders stepped up. From one to twenty there was adversity with Ryan Curran pulling up before the game. Cian Leonard coming in at nine not having played there before. He did a terrific job. Dara has a huge boot on him and he is a very good player. 13 is not his natural position but he is adapting to it and doing very well,” said Logue.
All Seapoint could do was hope for a losing bonus point to go with their four tries. Jack McDonald got himself into yellow card trouble for what could be described as a foot tackle on an opposition ball carrier. Seapoint players and mentors were incensed and players mixed it on the pitch. Cian Leonard also picked up a yellow card.
Ultimately, Matty McKenna crashed over for a converted Seapoint try which brought an end to what had been an absorbing and riveting encounter. That should have been it but home connections went to the referee questioning his decision for not issuing a red card to one of the offending Tullow players.
“I think it was a poor reaction. The foot was stuck out. I certainly don’t condone it. It is not part of the game. It happened. It is one of those things,” the Tullow manager articulated.
“I would not be going on the field demanding anything of anybody. We have been on the back end of some very poor decisions (this year). It even happened out there today with a penalty advantage. There was 2-3 phases and he (the referee) said advantage over.
“Then they went four or five phases and he brought back the scrum. If you start bitching and moaning about referees you are looking for excuses. They had chances to win the game. They didn’t take them and that is the reality of it.”
D O’Reilly, J Newman, L Forster, C Tallon, M McKenna (1 try each), S O’Donovan (1 pen, 3 cons).
J Waters, J McDonald, Ezrah Vai, P Burgess (1 try each), D Cosgrove (2 pens, 3 cons), A Johnson (1 pen).
James Newman, Oisin McKenna, Patrick Perrem, Matt McKenna, David O’Reilly, Conor Byrne, Sam O’Donovan; Callum Kavanagh, Eoin Brian Mahon, Joshua Whelan, Tom Chadwick, Hugh Ross, David Murphy, Liam Forster, Donal McMahon.
Dylan Kirara, Cian Tallon, Hugh Bourke, Dan O’Donovan, Josh Perrem.
A Johnson, Will O’Brien, Dara Cosgrave, Scott Sullivan Magne, Jack Hanlon, Paul Canavan, Peter Burgess; Scott Caldbeck, Corey Leigh Hughes, Tom Cashen, Tom Hughes, Joe Waters, Ezrah Vai, Jack McDonald, Stephen Smith.
Cian Leonard, Brian Kehoe, Dan Culleton, James O’Brien, Colm Gorry, Sullivan Magne.
Mark Hynes
