Clane RFC

By Terry Hennebry

This was billed to be a cracking match and even thought the score doesn't reflect it, it certainly kept the fans on the sideline distracted from the cold. As two of the genuine contenders for the league title this year finally managed to play this fixture the air of expectation was palpable.

From the kick off Longfords strong and mobile pack came at Clane with real purpose and intent. As if anticipating this, the Clane defense stood up superbly and after 5 minutes of sustained pressure one wondered if this was going to be the story of the match. However, Clane gathered the ball eventually and Cormac McEvoy cleared with a mighty and an accurate kick to touch on the half way line.

From the line out Longford gathered and set up one their infamous rolling mauls bringing them back into range of the Clane posts and set up for a drop goal which was narrowly wide.

From the kick out Longford gathered and there big prop made a charge only to be stopped in his tracks by Clanes Big prop Dave Doran. The ground shook when these two guys collided.

This particular event set out the map for the rest of the first half. An intense forward battle with quarter asked or given. Brave attacking from both sets of players and fearless defending. After 20 minutes it was still 0-0 but it was notable that Clane had spent most of that time in the Longford half but try as they might to get their speedy backs moving they couldn't break down the well marshaled Longford defense.

By the time Longford had started their third rolling maul Clane finally got to grips with holding them up. This created several energy sapping minutes at a time of brute force meeting brute force. The referee was kept busy awarding penalties for various infringements in these stand offs; some obvious some known only to the ref. Both Kearney for Clane and the Longford number 10 were guilty of kickable misses.

After 30 minutes Brian Conroy sent Mark Coonan on his way with a lovely popped pass. Coonan ran all of 30 meters and was only forced into touch just short of the Longford line. At this stage Clane were definitely the team on top but had no score on the board to show for it.

With 5 minutes remaining in the first half Longford regained territorial dominance and really tested the Clane defense. Just as at the other end of the pitch the defense stood up resolutely until eventually conceding a penalty in front of the posts. This time the Longford outhalf made no mistake and put the first points on the board after 38 minutes. 0-3 Longford.

The second half was almost an exact replica of the first half. It is a credit to both teams that after such a long, weather enforced lay off, that they had managed to attain such a high level of fitness.

However, the main talking point of the second half was the number of penalties awarded by the referee. In the fierce intensity of battle both sets of players were guilty of some silly misdemeanors but at times the referees decisions confused both sets of supporters equally.

As in the first Half Clane dominated territorially but could not convert that into points. Kearney missed at least one opportunity to bring the sides level but most times Clane kicked for touch to bring play closer to the Longford line to try and get an elusive try. Longfords marginal superiority in the line out saved them on a number of occasions.

While Longfords Robust tackling was sometimes questionable Clane were guilty of wasting possession on several occasions when their backs had good ball and instead of running it wide they opted to take it back inside where the ball was invariably held up or turned over.

On one of the Longford excursions into Clane's half after 25 minutes Longford were awarded yet another penalty and this time the outhalf put it just inside the posts to make the score 0-6. From here on in it Clane called on whatever energy reserves they had to try and break down the Longford defense needing a converted try to win the match. A number of kickable penalty opportunities were forsaken in favour of the kick to touch near the opposition line. In the last five minutes Longfords number 17 was sin binned and Clane lifted themselves for one more might effort. On one occasion the backs made a superb break but just short of the line a crunching tackle on McEvoy for Clane left him badly injured and he was carried off.

Shortly after the this the games most bizarre incident occurred. From a scrum on the Longford line, the Longford number nine, under pressure, sent a high back pass to the previously unflappable Longford number 15. He knocked on behind his own line and in the follow through it was clear that a Clane hand touched the ball for a try. However, the referee awarded a 5 meter scrum to Clane and try as they might from here on in until the 10th minute of extra time they could not cross the line. The final whistle was met with huge cheers from the traveling team and their supporters. They knew they had been in a battle and knew that they had won what could be a decisive victory by the end of the season.

Clane looked dejected but this set of players still look good enough to be in the shake up for promotion at the end of the season. Next weeks away match for Clane against Kilkenny will tell us more.

Clane 0 Longford 6

Squad Niall Hughes Gary Mullen Dave Doran Justin Monaghan TJ Ryan Noel Casey Mick Holland Brian Conroy Alan o Neill Mark Coonan Anthony Hennessy Ronan Murphy Cormac McEvoy Colum Fagan Gordon Kearney Replacements Paul Morrin Sean Sullivan John Kinsella Luke McCormack Dave Watkins