1st XV | Bruff Rugby Football Club

Our seniors make the long journey this weekend to play city of Derry in our second last league game of the season. We currently sit third in the table and need to win at least one of our two remaining games to make a top 4 play off. Derry also need points to ensure senior status for them for next season. Derry have been particularly good at home this season so it will take a huge effort from the lads to get a result.

Our last game is at home the following Saturday Vs Midleton so put that in to your diary, as it’s possibly our last home game in the league. We’re hoping it will be a cracker and depending on next weekends results it may also decide if we get a home playoff.

Saturday saw us take on Tullamore in Rd 16 of the AIL and while we were in 3rd position coming into the game, Omagh and Malahide were hot on our heels with no room for slip ups.

We started the game well and were awarded a penalty which Kevin McManus slotted, we continued to enjoy a good amount of territory and were rewarded after Cian Tierney crossed for a 5 pointer, Kevin kicked the extras and we were 10 points to the good. Tullamore got themselves back into the game and spent a lot of time in our half but our defense coped well and we went further ahead when, after numerous phases, Neilus Keogh picked from a ruck and dived in under the posts to continue his run of try scoring. Kevin kicked the 2 pointer and we went in 17-0 up at h/t.

We got our 3rd try early in the 2nd half with some good passing to create a gap for Davy O’Grady to go under the posts. Kevin added two more and now we were in bonus point territory. Credit to Tullamore who got an unconverted try to make the score 24-5.

We finished out the remainder of the game with 14 men with the binning of Liam Treacy and Johnny Cleary but we did manage to land the bonus point with an excellent finish from Sean Darcy, Tullamore to their credit did manage another try and the game finished 31-12.

We now have a week off before our long trip to Derry in our last away game of the season.

Team

Paddy Cleary, Johnny Cleary, Kieth Laffan, Tom O’Dwyer, Neilus Keogh, Mike Cooke, Sean Hartigan, Taylor Jones, Danny Jackson, Davy O’Grady, Liam Treacy, Cian Tierney, Jack O’Grady, Cian Clifford, Kevin McManus Rob Coates, Brendan Keogh, Tadgh O’Dwyer, Graham Whelan, Sean Darcy.

With only 3 games left we entertain Tullamore rfc tomorrow in kilballyowen 2.30 ko with each game of huge importance your support would be greatly appreciated in what is our 2nd last home game.

This Saturday sees us entertain Tullamore rfc in rd 16 of the ail this is our 2nd last home game of the season and an opportunity to get out and show yere support for the boys. Tullamore have been a really difficult team to get the better of in recent seasons so Noel and his management team will need the lads to be really tuned in for this one. We currently lay 3rd in the table so a win would be ideal with just 2 games left after this. Kick of 2.30

Saturday saw us make the long trip to Ballina to take on league leaders in the last of this block of 4 games, which really has taken its toll with a lot of injuries pushing our squad to the limits. We started into a a strong breeze but took an early lead through the boot of Davy o Grady, Ballina replied with a 3 pointer with 10 mins to the break and went 6-3 ahead through the boot of their out half. We took the lead after an excellent line out maul which took us inside the Ballina 22 saw Taylor crossing the line, Davy added the extras to make it 10-6 at half time. The winning and losing of the game came in the first 15 mins of the 2nd half when Ballina scored 3 try’s in a period when we lost Daniel and Cian Tierney who was having an excellent game until then, we had further 2nd half try’s from Kevin McManus and Cian Tierney when he came back on, but Ballina ran out winners on the day. We now have a chance to regroup and get some our injured players back and go after the last 3 games. While winning this division is probably beyond us now we are very much in control of our destination on making the playoffs and when one considers last season it was a different type of playoff we were facing every one should be hugely proud of where we are and where we could have been with more luck on the injury front.

Paddy cleary Johnny Cleary Kieth Laffan Tadgh o Dwyer Neilus Keogh Taylor Jones Sean hartigan Tom o Dwyer Danny Jackson Davy o Grady Graham Whelan Cian Tierney Jack o Grady Cian Clifford Shane biggins Shane Breen Brendan Keogh Mike Cooke Liam treacy Kevin McManus

Bruff Rugby Football Club

Ail Round 17, Bruff Vs City of Derry.

AIL Rd 16, Bruff V Tullamore

All Ireland League, Round 16 Bruff V Tullamore

Ail rd 16

Ail rd 15 v ballina