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Coolmine produce a top display to see off Wanderers in Metro Cup

Coolmine 1st XV 30 - 15 Wanderers

After this fixture being postponed last week due to bad weather, playing conditions were close to ideal today for this second round Metro cup clash with Wanderers RFC. With their coach Bernard Jackman back on the sideline after Saturday’s unsuccessful but inspirational trip to Paris, Coolmine hoped to emulate that gutsy performance. Although having to play into a blinding sun Coolmine produced probably their best forty minutes of the season so far.

From the start Coolmine attacked the opposition line shifting the ball from one side of the pitch to the other. Five minutes of this left Connor Hayes with a drop goal opportunity in front of the posts, which he duly took putting Coolmine three points into the lead. Coolmine never dropped the pace and were rewarded with their first try after thirteen minutes with scrum-half Andy Barry touching down in the corner following a slick back-line move. Wanderers replied just three minutes later with three points from a penalty.

The opposition looked like the pressure was taking its toll and lost their discipline committing a number of infringements in the rucks and mauls. Twenty five minutes into the half saw Connor Hayes breaking from his own 22 and running deep into the opposition half, quick ball from the ruck lead to Sean McKay touching down in the corner for Coolmine's second try. After catching his breath again after the original break Connor duly converted adding another 2 points on the scoreboard.

The referee finally lost patience with the opposition infringements sending the Wanderers second row to the sin-bin for using his hands in the ruck. Another penalty lead to a line out on the five-metre line and Coolmine took full advantage of the extra man pushing over for their third try, Ollie Prunty touching down. The last kick of the first half was another Coolmine penalty and another three points.

Coolmine started the second half with the same pace as they finished the first, however they could not convert the pressure into points and it was Wanderers with first points on the board with a breakaway try. This score certainly boosted Wanderers confidence, leading to them dominating the next fifteen minutes.

However Coolmine soon came back into game with a brilliant rolling maul from the half way line leaving Wanderers no choice but to pull it down close to the try line. The resulting penalty led to another maul this time crossing the line but was deemed to be held up. Wanderers tried desperately to work their way of their 22 to no avail. Alan Cousins adding to their misery pushing their winger into touch after an attempted break out.

Despite three substitutions Coolmine understandably tired in the last few minutes and let Wanderers back on the score sheet with a well rehearsed back line move. But it was Coolmine who had the final say, replacement winger Niall O Donoughue intercepted a Wanderers cross-field kick, passing to Andy Barry leaving him to run uncontested from his own 22 to touch down under the posts. His drop-kick conversion was the last kick of the game. A good day’s work left Coolmine going into the 3rd round clash with a lot of confidence.

Coolmine: 1. G. Wood 2. R Savage 3. K Cawley 4. D Toole 5. N Ganly 6. O. Prunty 7. H Murray 8. L. Mc Grath 9. A Barry 10. C. Hayes 11. A Cousins 12 R. Farrell 13. B Wynn 14. S Mc Kay 15. T Lane Subs: O. Mullins / D Mc Callaghan / I Flynn / N O Donoghue.

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