Coolmine move to third with local victory
by Joe Hunt

Garda 22 - 32 Coolmine 1st XV

Coolmine faced local rivals Garda in Westmanstown recently in the first of this year’s local derbies.

Garda came into this competition as the form team having easily secured last season’s Div 2 title with games to spare as well as beating beat Coolmine in Cup action as well.  Having lost their opening two games they were hoping to put things right at their home turf in their first game of the new year against their local rivals. 

However it was the visitors who started the stronger and after 9 minutes Donal Crotty found a gap in the Garda defence after receiving the ball from the back of the scrum deep inside Garda territory for the first try of the game.  Converting his own score Crotty increased the lead to seven points. 

Six minutes later Garda narrowed the gap with a converted penalty but Coolmine responded with a second try from a wide sweeping solo run from Fionn Lacey.  Six minutes later and Coolmine were on the attack again, this time soft hands between Donal Crotty and Geoff Mullen lead to the final off load to Sean Lee for the 3rd try of the game.  Three tries scored and 3-19 up it looked like Coolmine could secure the bonus point before half time however Garda pulled back a try from the back of the a driving maul leaving only nine points separating the teams going into the break.

Five minutes into the second half and Garda further reduced the deficit to 4 points with another penalty which was soon cancelled out by two Coolmine penalties.  However Coolmine seemed to lose their momentum and Garda started to come back into the game more as the minutes ticked on.  The visitors eventually got the bonus point on the 35th minute when a “show and go” from Donal Crotty left the defence wrong footed and he ran in for his second try of the game. 

A yellow card for Coolmine with 3 minutes to go left them a man down and Garda capitalised on the situation with a try in the dying seconds to leave the final score at 22-32. 

The win moves Coolmine up to 3rd place sharing with Enniscorthy just ahead on points difference.

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