End of the season as regards the AIL, well done lads.

Well how’s about that for a first season in Division two? We managed to lead it for quite a while and even with the depletion of the squad due to injury towards the end of the season we still held out until the very last game with a chance of making it to the playoffs. A few results went against us, it could be said that missed penalties cost us valuable league points along the way but in general it must be said that it was a fabulous first season at this level for Bruff.

Saturdays game failed to live up to the expectations that we have had of this great squad all year. Greystones fought like tigers to defend their line for vast periods of this game and great credit is due to them for their defensive performance. Time after time the Bruff attack was basically camped between their twenty-two and the try-line but they just could not seem to get across the whitewash. Down by seven points after just as many minutes courtesy of a try by Greystones winger Dan Kenny duly converted by out-half James Power the remainder of the game seemed to be Bruff’s as but to be honest you felt from word go that this was just not going to be their day. Bruff’s only score coming courtesy of a Brian Cahill penalty directly in front of the posts giving a half time score of seven points to three. Errors at the breakdown pinged incessantly by the referee disrupted the Bruff attack at critical moments during the match and even though they rallied to attack the red zone again and again and again another breakdown error would give the beleaguered Greystones defence relief from the onslaught and an onslaught is about the only description for it. The second half was reminiscent of the Munster/All blacks game with Greystones bodies littering the pitch from one side to the other every couple of minutes, at one stage there was five Greystones players on the turf, but to their credit they held out and just basically seemed to want the game more than the finally tired looking Bruff squad. A penalty by Power with three minutes or so left on the clock put a gloss on the score for ‘Stones and the game finished out ten points to three. With Old Crescent winning their final game away to Malone a win wouldn’t have mattered in any case although it does mean that Bruff slip to sixth in the table. Playoffs take place next weekend and not being involved has one minor plus if it could be called that, this fabulous group of players can finally take their first decent break in almost three years of non-stop work to get them to where they are.

On behalf of the club, I wish to thank this brilliant group of lads for a fabulous season and for the great work that they have put in over the last twelve months. Great credit is due to Eoin, Peter, Michéal ,Cathal, John and all of the lads involved in the team from first to last. Have a good night on Thursday night and take your well deserved break.