February 22nd 2010

BUCCANEERS (15) 15  Brian Touhy (try) Sean Stapleton (try) Adam Kennedy (pen & con)

DUNGANNON (7) 10  Conor Gaston (try) James Shiells (pen & con)

BUCCANEERS threw themselves a Division 1B lifeline when they held on to defeat fellow relegation contenders Dungannon 15-10 in a keenly contested AIB League encounter played in perfect conditions at Dubarry Park, Athlone, on Saturday. Buccs got off to a flying start and led 15-0 on the halfhour but they failed to build on their early superiority and a worrying fadeout in the second half had home supporters in the modest attendance for this ‘Ganlys of Athlone’ sponsored game biting their nails for long spells following the change of ends.

With no Connacht front-liners involved and John O’Brien also unavailable, new coach David Henshaw made four changes in personnel as well as a number of positional changes to a totally realigned home backline. J.H.Potgeiter lined out at fullback with Alex Hayman in the key standoff role. Conor Lavelle switched to right wing with Sean Stapleton coming in on the opposite flank. Brian Touhy returned in the centre where he linked up with Paul Harte while Adam Kennedy returned at scrumhalf after missing the previous game due to illness. With Padraig Burke still out through injury, Colm Rigney remained in the second row and the only change in the pack was the return of prop Martin Staunton in place of Benny Gilligan who was now on the bench. Overall, Buccs had four changes in personnel from when the sides met earlier in the league while Dungannon, who had only Justin Fitzpatrick of their Ulster frontliners, had five alterations in personnel. Crucially they were without Ulster front-rowers Neil Brady and Declan Fitzpatrick while exciting wing Chris Cochrane was out due to injury.

The 5 p.m. kickoff experiment resulted in a disappointing attendance but, what they lacked in numbers, they sure made up for in noise and encouragement. And in the opening ten minutes, they savoured a whirlwind start by Buccaneers. After just one minute and eighteen seconds, Touhy was dotting down for the opening score! The centre’s options seemed limited when in possession close to the right touchline at halfway but he pirouetted past Craig Gilroy and suddenly a huge gap opened up before him and he had the pace and composure to make the most of it to touch down for a try at the posts. This presented Kennedy with the perfect first placekick and he duly converted for a 7-0 lead inside two minutes.

Six minutes later, however, a touch judge flagged and the young home scrumhalf was penalised inside his own half but James Shiells’ penalty kick fell short. The northerners were to rue this miss as Buccs grabbed their second try within three minutes. Again Touhy was involved, offloading a delicious overhead pass to Potgeiter who committed the stretched cover before delivering a perfect pass to Stapleton and the left winger galloped in to touchdown on the left. Kennedy’s conversion drifted wide but Buccs had their tails up, 12-0 ahead, and Dungannon were really rocked. Henshaw was surely mightily pleased with this dream start by his new charges.

They should have added to their advantage on 23 minutes as home pressure forced the visitors into a handling infringement but Kennedy missed the eminently kickable penalty. The Ulster side looked likely to capitulate, particularly if Buccs notched a third try, but the midlanders just could not add to their tally as they tore in to Dungannon in a frenetic opening half hour. The Tyrone club had a rare foray into the home 22 after Kolo Kiripati was caught in possession following the restart but Buccs tidied up after Dungannon had kicked their penalty to touch close to the home right hand corner. On the halfhour mark, however, Buccaneers got the scoreboard working again following a wonderful break by Colin Watters from halfway that looked briefly as if the stocky flanker might go all the way for a try before sheer Dungannon numbers brought his progress to a halt close to their 22. Then Paul Magee instinctively slowed possession and was duly yellow-carded although a more deliberate knock on in the ensuing play when Buccs had an overlap seemed more worthy of a visit to the sin-bin. Kennedy tapped over the resultant penalty to go 15-0 ahead but, Buccaneers despite showing a wonderful appetite, failed to capitalise on their temporary numerical superiority before halftime.

Stephen Burke, the heartbeat of the homesters, made a typically thundering charge on 34 minutes but lacked quick support while, four minutes later, Shiells saw his drop goal attempt for the visitors go wide. Then, deep in added time, Buccaneers got a rude awakening when Gaston cruised by three tacklers far, far too easily for a Dungannon try which Shiells converted. This left Buccs only 15-7 to the good at halftime when indeed they should really have been much more comfortably ahead after controlling virtually all the opening period.

This was a vital and timely boost for Dungannon but, nevertheless, Buccs resumed with a flourish with Kiripati and Watters making significant inroads to link up with Burke but again the northern cover got to him and, shortly afterwards, Watters could not retain possession as he surged for the try line. But the Ulster side were now beginning to get more possession and Touhy nailed Michael Rainey on 50 minutes when the visitors had an overlap. Potgeiter made an even more telling tackle, dumping Gaston into touch just short of Buccs left corner flag after 63 minutes. Three minutes later, it was Buccaneers turn to rue a missed opportunity. Dungannon did not roll away following a tackle but fullback Potgeiter, entrusted with the 35 metre penalty, saw his kick shave the wrong side of the right upright. Hayman made a terrific touch to the left inside Dungannon’s 22 but no profit resulted and thus the game, that earlier looked well within Buccs’ compass to win, remained finely balanced.

Dungannon, although well beaten the previous week away to Ballynahinch, were now benefiting from that encounter, being more match fit than Buccaneers who had been inactive since their previous game away to Old Belvedere three weeks ago. Old failings returned as the midlanders were running out of steam and were then penalised for offside on 71 minutes but Shiells’ penalty kick rebounded off the near upright into the safe custody of Kiripati just before the first of only two substitutions made in the match, Gilligan coming in for Staunton after 74 minutes. Billy Henshaw replaced Stapleton two minutes later. Meanwhile, Dungannon forced another penalty which they quickly tapped but, with Buccs not back ten metres, the visitors got no benefit and thus Shiells drilled over the 76th minute placekick to set up a very tense finish. Dungannon almost stole an undeserved victory when Gilroy came tantalisingly close to the home try line in a nervy finish, but Buccs (for whom Burke was named Athlone Springs Hotel man of the match) held on to record a vital win while the visitors earned a crucial bonus point. Buccs remain bottom of the table but now trail both Dungannon and Ballynahinch (whom they face in their next game) by just two points with three series of matches remaining.

Burke and Watters were outstanding in the Buccs pack where Staunton and Conor Higgins also put in terrific shifts. Kiripati is growing in influence as he comes closer to full fitness while Rigney gave his best showing to date. In the backline, Touhy always looked dangerous in possession while Hayman led his young colleagues through positive example. Magee fared best throughout for Dungannon.

BUCCANEERS:- J.H.Potgeiter; C.Lavelle, P.Harte, B.Touhy, S.Stapleton; A.Hayman, A.Kennedy; M.Staunton, G.Halligan, C.Higgins; C.Rigney (captain), J.Tormey; K.Kiripati, C.Watters and S.Burke. Replacements used:- B.Gilligan (for Staunton, 74 mins) and B.Henshaw (for Stapleton, 76 mins).

DUNGANNON:- J.McGuckin; C.Gaston, G.Telford, P.Magee, C.Gilroy; J.Shiells, D.Spence; G.Sinnamon, R.Carleton, J.Fitzpatrick; N.Magee, M.Rainey; D.Hall, A.Birch and S.McKenzie (captain). Blood replacement:- M.Farquhar (for Sinnamon, 39 mins to h/t).

REFEREE:- Leo Colgan (Munster).