Bruff Rugby Football Club

Our 1sts travelled to a wild and windy Malahide on Saturday in what were probably the worst conditions we played this year, we travelled minus a number of players from our game versus Omagh the previous week,  we kicked off into a gale and had to spend a lot of time in our half but managed to restrict Malahide to 9 pts from 3 pens, we ourselves managed some time in the opposition half and after some excellent retention Davy o Grady ran a great line to go in under the posts Kevin McManus added the extras and it was 9-7.  Malahide added another pen before h/t to go 12-7, the second half saw us take the game to Malahide and after an excellent snipe from Danny Jackson ran in under the posts Kevin added the extras and we led 14-12.  This turned out to be our last score and though our scrum was dominant and our lineout was functioning well we did not seem to get the reward from it. Malahide themselves hit a purple patch in the last 15 and were rewarded with a try after a number of pick and drives on our line they led by 5 with 10 to go and although we had opportunities ourselves to score we were penalised in front of their posts with time nearly up. The game ended 19-14 and we had to settle for a bonus point.

I sure management will be happy with areas of the game and will disappointed with other aspects, but thy don’t have much time to dwell as we entertain our neighbours Thomond on Friday night next at Kilballyowen.

pitcured below the o Grady brothers Jack and Davy

1 Paddy Cleary
2 Johnny Cleary (capt)
3 Kieth Laffen
4 Neilus Keogh
5 Tom o Dwyer
6 Taylor Jones
7 Eamon Costelloe
8 Mike Cooke
9 Daniel Jackson
10 Davy o Grady
11 Liam Treacy
12 Cian Tierney
13 Jack o Grady
14 Cian Clifford
15 Kevin McManus

16 Rob Coates
17 Liam o Dwyer
18 Brian Bulfin
19 Jack o Grady
20 Eric Finn

Our 1sts entertained Omagh at home on Sat in Rd 7 of Ail, in a fixture that we expected to be difficult, Omagh had been racking up the scores of late, and we sitting just below us in the table, and after a bright start by Bruff, Omagh soon got themselves into the game and went into a 10-0 lead with a converted try in the corner,followed by a 3 pointer.  Bruff were left reeling and needed to steady things down, from a line out maul from the 22 Omagh pulled down as we were heading towards the line the referee had no option but to award a penalty try to the home side.  This seemed to kick start the lads and from a scrum from inside their  22 our initial drive took us to the line and after a couple of surges Tony Cahill popped to Cillian Rea who dotted down in the corner, Kevin McManus slotted over an excellent conversion to put us 14-10 ahead. We continued to add pressure and were rewarded with another 3 pointer with an excellent kick from Kevin from the 10 metre line to put us 17-10 ahead at h/t.

The second half saw Omagh come back in into the game and were rewarded with a penalty which saw us down to 13 after 2 yellows, they went for territory and were rewarded to try from a maul which they converted. 17 all and it was game on, to the lads credit they started to play in the right areas and were rewarded with 2 further penalties from the excellent boot of Kevin to put us 23-17 ahead. Omagh lost a player to a red but it didn’t seem to effect their desire to go for the win and finished the game strongly in the Bruff half, we weathered the storm to claim a good win against a good Omagh side.

Great to have Davy o Grady back on the field after a long time out through injury.

Team

Bruff rfc
1 Paddy Cleary.                               
2 Johnny Cleary (capt)
3 Kieth Laffen
4 Neilus Keogh
5 Tom o Dwyer
6 Taylor Jones
7 Cillian Rea
8 Sean Hartigan
9 Daniel Jackson
10 Tony Cahill
11 Liam Treacy
12 Cian Tierney
13 Sean Darcy
14 Cian Clifford
15 Kevin McManus

16 Eamonn Costelloe
17 Brian Bulfin
18 Mike Cooke
19 Davy o Grady
20 Liam Barrett

A minute silence was observed before the game as a mark of respect on the passing of Tom McCarthy a past player and a life long supporter of Bruff Rfc.