AIL Round 12, Old Wesley 16 Bruff 21

Brian Cahill Tackling (Click for Slideshow)

Bruff managed to come away with a win from one of the fastest games of the season.

Within a minute of the off, Wesley’s winger Alan Thompson scampered home following a looping move by Centre Doherty to put Wesley ahead five points to nothing after less than sixty seconds.

On twenty-two minutes Outhalf David Smith put over a penalty to give them an eight point lead and with the pace of the game as fast as it was, and despite the Bruff pack dominating the set piece, the Referee pinged Bruff seven times in a row at the ruck and things were looking ominous.

Following the binning and return of the Wesley No. 8, a strong Bruff attack finished with Brendan Deady breaking the line, Captain Brian Cahill adding the extras to start the fight back. Bruff began their best period of the game with wave after wave of attack and the Wesley defence stretched until it finally broke. Another try by Mike Carroll on 36 minutes gave Bruff a 12 point to 8 lead at the interval.

Second half began as the first did with attack after attack by Bruff being pinged, and finally Wesley got themselves into a kickable position thirteen minutes in to close the gap to a single point.

Cahill returned the favour 6 minutes later in a controversial decision with the referee overruling the touch judges to award Bruff the points. 15 points to 11.

Wesley, not finished yet had a breakout try on 68 minutes, winger Thompson again romping home following a break from the half way to touch down in the corner. all of a sudden things were looking hairy for the Bruff squad.

Twelve minutes on the clock weren’t long running out and a binning for both sides meant that it took right until the final three minutes before Bruff were finally awarded another penalty about seven meters infield halfway between the twenty-two and the ten meter line which Captain Cahill slotted directly splitting the posts to give Bruff back a two point lead. Bruff again in the ascendency attacked and attacked the Wesley line until right in injury time they were awarded another penalty right in front of the posts, Cahill converting to put a little daylight between the sides.

After two more phases the referee finally blew it up to Give Bruff a clear second place position in the league table by two points.

Click on the picture above for the slideshow.