UBL Round 3
Table toppers Sligo were the visitors to Kilballyowen last Saturday for round 3 of the Ulster Bank League. Sligo sat top of the league thanks to wins over Thomand and Malahide on their previous 2 games while Bruff had a loss’s to Omagh and a win over Bective on the scorecard.
Saturdays match was a game that could have gone either way and on reflection a 20.20 draw was probably a fair result. Both sides squandered good opportunities in the 2ndhalf especially to win the game with Bruff finishing strongest in an open entertaining game of rugby.
First blood went to Bruff with a penalty under the posts after 22 minutes which Davie O Grady kicked. Bruff were unlucky not to score a try in the same move with Maghnus Collins stopped short after a great line break from young centre Jack O Grady. Sligo equalised after 30 minutes earning a kickable penalty with the Bruff forwards infringing at the breakdown.
Bruff enjoyed a good period of pressure inside the Sligo 22 for the next 5 minutes and were rewarded for some enterprising play with a converted try from a maul on 35 minutes courtesy of team captain John Hogan. Bruff now led 10.3 and would have been hoping to see out the clock to half time without conceding a score. But Sligo had other plans and got a converted try just before half time. It was a soft score for Bruff to concede coughing up a lineout on their own ball just inside the 22. Sligo were quick to pounce on a scrappy ball and cruised in for the score to make it 10.10 at the break.
Sligo dominated the opening exchanges in the 2nd half and scored 10 points in a five minute period with a try and a penalty to race into a 20.10 lead. Sligo could have been further ahead after 60 minutes but for a double movement while in the process of touching down for a try. This gave Bruff back the momentum and allowed Bruff to work their way into the Sligo 22. Bruff’s set piece went well all day and on 65 minutes another well worked maul allowed Johnie Hogan in for his 2nd try of the day with Davie O Grady adding the extras to make it 17.20.
The equalising score came with 10 minutes remaining with another penalty from the boot of O Grady after the Sligo Scrum was penalised for illegally standing up when Bruff had a good drive on. Bruff’s winger Mark Cosgrove was very unlucky with only a few minutes remaining when he was tackled into touch just inches from the Sligo Line in what was a very close call. It finished 20 points apiece and Bruff now look forward to an away trip to Tullamore this weekend with a 2.30pm ko in the Co Offaly venue.
Bruff Team: 15 Brian Fanning 14 Eric Finn 13 Conor Fitzpatrick 12 Jack O Grady 11 Mark Cosgrove 10 David O Grady 9 Tony Cahill 8 Ordhan Ring 7 John Clery 6 Maghnus Collins 5 Sean Hartigan 4 Brian Morrissey 3 Keith Laffan 2 John Hogan 1 David Horan 16 Mike Cooke 17 Brendan Keogh 18 Danny Keogh 19 Cian Clifford 20 Cian Ryan
Senior Seconds League
Despite only starting with three recognised backs, or seconds put up a very good performance against Garryowen in Dooradoyle on Sunday. Despite the concession of an early try we bounced back through Michael Cooke to score 2 first-half tries and lead 12-5 at the break. The elements played into Garryowen’s hands in the second half and they scored three tries to lead 22 to 15 with 10 mins left. Bruff tried hard to score an equaliser but Garryowen had the last say when scoring in the corner for the last play of the game match finished Bruff 15 Garryowen 27.
