October 20th, 2008

BUCCANEERS slipped up badly at home to U.L.Bohemian when losing their AIB League Division One game 8-9 at Dubarry Park, Athlone, on Saturday. Not only was this a hugely disappointing result for the midlanders, but it was also a dreadfully inept display in a match where neither side showed much enterprise or imagination on an afternoon when conditions, apart from a couple of short snappy showers, were conducive to open and entertaining rugby.

Whatever the reasons, Buccs lacked the verve and aggression of their opening two fixtures. Perhaps there was some complacency in the squad but they never fired on all cylinders, and only in a frantic final ten minutes did they display the necessary urgency and work rate. For their part, UL Bohs were no better. One generally assumes that a ‘students’ outfit would endeavour to play in an expansive style but their primary game plan seemed to be to kick the ball into the home 22 and hope that Buccs would cough up penalties. In the end, this limited gambit succeeded as the homesters again conceded unforced penalties throughout and really have only themselves to blame for this major setback.

Sustained discipline has been a problem in their previous two AIB League outings and Buccaneers have gifted far too many cheap placekicks to their opponents to date. In Division One, these will inevitably be punished. The lineout too remains a cause for concern, and a far greater return of primary possession in this sector simply must be secured. Overall, supply to the backline, which has some real speedsters this season, is sluggish and needs to be addressed. But these three key areas can all be rectified on the training grounds, and players must take collective responsibility to rectify matters in the immediate short term.

Buccaneers had two enforced changes in their side. Gavin Kelly replaced Garreth Halligan at hooker while Paul Harte started on the wing with John O’Brien moving to fullback in place of Danny Riordan, both absentees due to hamstring injuries. UL Bohs most notable absentee was injured flanker Tommy O’Donnell for this Tubbercurry Engineering sponsored match.

The opening exchanges were frenetic with most of the play confined to midfield and Buccs got an early warning when Kolo Kiripati held on to possession but UL Bohs were unable to capitalise on this penalty opportunity on 8 minutes. Two minutes later it was the turn of the visitors to get a let-off, Niall O’Hara unlucky to not hold on to an intercept. The midlanders conceded another needless penalty on 18 minutes, Kieran O’Gorman coming in from the side but Fergal Lawler was short from a kickable position.

The game was now being played at a relatively pedestrian pace and it was well into the second quarter before the midlanders mounted a threatening attack. The opening score soon followed, however, Kiripati tapping a free quickly and Alan Gaughan did particularly well to hold on to possession until Alex Hayman arrived with a good run to take the ball and surge in for a 28th minute try on the left. Gaughan too was profligate with the kickable conversion but, nevertheless, home supporters felt that Buccs would now finally step up their endeavours and kick on from here.

Four minutes later, two UL Bohs players clashed heads and they introduced two blood substitutions. Alamoti TePou was penalised shortly after this but Lawler was short with the eminently kickable placekick as both teams found scoring nigh on impossible. Gaughan then did well to mark and clear his lines before O’Gorman made good yardage at the other end after a UL Bohs lineout went awry while O’Brien also made a good break but TePou got caught in possession and was duly penalised as a promising position went abegging. However, Buccaneers, despite lacking fluidity and conviction, led 5-0 at halftime.

The exchanges had livened up approaching the break and Buccs were quickest out of the blocks on the restart, pressurising Coleman Finn into conceding a penalty in front of the posts which Gaughan converted just one minute into the second period. But Adrian Hanley then got caught handling the ball back and it was third time lucky for Lawler to open UL Boh’s scoring with a 47th minute penalty.

As the sunshine returned after the showers, Simon Rolleston put in a thumping tackle on Martin McPhail. Buccs introduced Conor Higgins and Louie Tonkin in place of Benny Gilligan and TePou on 54 minutes and, just one minute later, Hanley thundered forward to set O’Hara off but the home captain just could not outpace the defence and was tackled into touch as Buccs seemed to be hitting a higher tempo.

Niall Lear finally tasted AIB league action for Buccs in place of O’Hara while Marcus Madden came on for Kelly shortly afterwards. But old failings returned to haunt them in the final quarter. Kiripati infringed at a lineout and was duly yellow carded on 63 minutes. With Lawler withdrawn by the visitors, Aidan McNulty took over the place-kicking duties and duly landed the resultant penalty. Three minutes later, the Limerick side got a match-saving decision in their favour, referee Michael Black somehow whistling Harte back for a knock-on that no one in the crowd could see after the home winger had cleanly intercepted and was on his way for a certain try.

Further disaster befell Buccs soon afterwards as Mark Bruce’s pass to Rolleston was short and the outhalf, caught in two minds, did not get the ball away and was rightly penalised for not releasing possession. McNulty gratefully accepted this soft 70th minute penalty to kick the decisive score. Soon afterwards, the industrious Hanley’s strength and determination rescued Buccs after a weak Rolleston clearance. Now trailing by a point, Buccaneers galvanised themselves but left it too late to retrieve the situation although they should perhaps have been awarded a late penalty that could have salvaged the game.

Overall, a very poor display by Buccs and, rubbing salt in the wound, making it more disappointing was the performance of UL Bohs, who were just as woeful. But their limited ambitions and gameplan worked (eventually) to a T and they headed home with the spoils. A bonus point was little consolation for Buccs on this occasion for there is far too little to reflect on with pride in this showing.

Prop Kevin Moran had another decent outing and was named ‘OYSTERhomes Man of the Match’. Hanley answered some of his critics with an increasingly influential second half contribution but overall the forwards were surprisingly subdued. O’Brien and Harte look like they can take scores if the chances or openings are made but supply and service was sluggish despite Gaughan’s best probings.

BUCCANEERS:- J.O’Brien; P.Harte, A.Gaughan, A.Hayman, N.O’Hara (captain); S.Rolleston, M.Bruce; B.Gilligan, G.Kelly, K.Moran; D.Gannon, A.TePou; K.Kiripati, K.O’Gorman and A.Hanley. Replacements:- C.Higgins (for Gilligan, 54 mins), L.Tonkin (for TePou, 54 mins), N.Lear (for O’Hara, 60 mins) and M.Madden (for Kelly, 68 mins).

U.L.BOHEMIAN:- A.McNulty; M.McPhail (captain), G.Boland, C.Finn, D.Moloney; F.Lawler, C.Delooze; K.Flanagan, S.Henry, M.Storey; B.Madigan, D.Foley; R.Hartigan, K.Essex and J.O’Neill. Replacements:- K.Bracken (for Essex, 55 mins) and C.Sheridan (for Lawler, 60 mins). Blood substitutions:- E.Torrie (for Foley, 32-39 mins) and K.Bracken (for Madigan, 32-h/t).

REFEREE:- Michael Black. (Ulster).