Letterkenny 9 : 5 Monaghan

Dave Gallaher Park was at it’s spring best for the visit of Monaghan for the quarter final of the Gordon west Cup but the fare served up by both sides did not match the weather or conditions.
With Letterkenny second fifteen also hosting Monaghan in a league game the stage was set for an afternoon of exciting rugby but a litany of mistakes and failure to take opportunities presented saw the first fifteen edge out a nervy win against a very limited Monaghan team. The home side started well enough and were inside the Monaghan twenty two immediately from the kick off with a strong run from number eight Adam Moore but lack of support saw Monaghan clear their lines.
The ball won at the back of a shaky home scrum was at best scrappy with Moore having to pick and go most of the time. Another problem for the home side was their difficulty with securing clean lineout possession with all throws being concentrated on the number four position Monaghan broke down a considerable amount of ball and Letterkenny were left to scavenge in the loose. After about fifteen minutes with the home side coming to terms with both scrum and lineout a couple of concentrated attacks brought them within metres of the visitors line but errors rather than the Monaghan defence saw a try go a begging. Letterkenny were then struck a hammer blow when completely against the run of play Monaghan got a run of passes together and while their speedy winger initially seemed covered , he managed to get at the right corner for an excellent winger’ s try.  Letterkenny got back into the visitor’s half and concentrated attacks set up a penalty opportunity for out half Boyd Robinson in front of the Monaghan posts which he slotted over for a 5 to three scoreline. Centre John Anthony Mc Fadden should have got a try near the left corner when well set up move saw him run in from the twenty two. The referee decided that he had not grounded the ball and the resultant set scrum yielded nothing. Three minutes later the home side were left without influential captain and number eight Adam Moore when he had to leave the field with a back injury. Allowed substitutes at this stage of the cup competition Martin Bond, who earlier had replaced flanker Andrew Gibson temporarily as a ‘blood’ substitution came at hooker with the versatile Jamie Boyle moving to number eight and both were very central to a great tight forward display in the second period.
Twelve minutes into the second half Letterkenny when the visitors were caught offside at a ruck and out half Boyd Robinson sent over for the six to five lead. By now the home pack were getting on top in most facets of play particularly out of touch where Jamie Boyle’s throws found Sean Dunleavy soaring above the opposition in the number four position and the set scrums with Mc Gonagle and Clarke having a great second period. With scrum half Damien Williamson causing the Monaghan back row forwards all kinds of problems Letterkenny should have got through for try but after a number of phases of play on each occasion the failed to get the fast ball needed to send the back over. In fact the nearest they came was when hooker Bond set off on  solo effort down the right wing and only a foot on the touchline a metre from the try line prevented him from scoring. On the eighteenth minute mark, however, they increased their lead when Robinson again scored from a penalty thirty metres out on the left. He missed an easier opportunity fifteen minutes later from the right hand side but his team kept Monaghan inside their own half for the best part of fifteen minutes with  the pack giving a fine exhibition of the ‘ pick and drive’ possession which wore out the visitors defence. Martin Bond after a tough afternoon gave way to Karl Kerrane for the final seven minutes with Jamie Boyle again going back into his front row position. Boyd Robinson’s line kicking was long and accurate and the visitors did well not to concede more scores before the referee Michael Black from City of Derry blew the final whistle.

TEAM :
Rory Mc Gonagle,  Jamie Boyle, Ray Clarke, Sean Dunleavy, Kevin Mc Laughlin, Andrew Gibson, Liam Mc Glynn, Adam Moore ( captain), Damien Williamson, Boyd Robinson, John Anthony Mc Fadden, Brian Peoples, Jason Daly, Tony Mc Bride, Kyle Samson.Subs: Marty Bond, Karl Kerrane

The second fifteen, which included some well known (and worn) faces also, had a narrow win against the Monaghan opposition with a twenty two to nineteen score line.
Next Saturday sees Letterkenny  first fifteen again at home to Strabane at Dave Gallaher Park in the league while the seconds await a re- arranged away fixture.