Co. Cavan RFC 1st XV off to a winning start

Co. Cavan 1st XV   21

Hollywood 8

IT was honours all round at Co. Cavan Rugby football club last week-end with both of the senior teams as well as the juvenile section all recording a winning score as well as sound performances.

  In the case of the 1st XV they played host to Hollywood in the first round of the league. Playing conditions were ideally suited to the home side's open style of running rugby. It was not all plain sailing for Cavan however with Hollywood breaching their defence early in the first half to record their only try of the match.

Great response

  Cavan responded with a well-executed moved that saw winger Darren Smith touch down in the 22nd minute. Outhalf Senan Flanagan kicked the conversion to leave the half- time score 7-5 in favour of the home side. In the opening twenty minutes of the second half it appeared that Cavan could do nothing right, giving away what seemed like needless penalties.

  Hollywood duly punished these indiscretions by converting one of these penalties to leave the score a very tight 8-7 in favour of the visitors.

  As the game progressed it was obvious that Cavan had the measure of their opponent's in the backs and with some wonderful open running and support play from the forwards Cavan scrum half Selesie Tuipolotu broke through the Hollywood defence to score a well- earned try. Senan Flanagan was successful with the conversion attempt and that was all the impetus the home side needed to pile on the pressure.

Tuipolotu tries

  Within minutes of crossing the line, Selesie Tuipolotu once again broke from the back of a five meter scrum on the Hollywood line and brushing aside three defenders, touched down for his second try. Hollywood continued to exert pressure but the Cavan full back and team captain Stephen Ivers was equal to the task and proved to be rock solid.

  Hooker Paul McCusker had a difficult job when it came to line-out time with a strong breeze causing him some problems.

  However Paul leading the charge for the forwards on more than one occasion. Kieran Elliott and Gary Browne, the jumpers in the line-out kept the Hollywood forwards in check by contesting every opposition throw in.

  Cavan 1st XV has an explosive back line, which was self-evident. James Loughnane and Paul O'Reilly looked sharp in defence and have both power and pace going forward. 

  Cavan 1st XV –  Gerry Mulligan, Paul McCusker, Alan Brady, Daniel Hutchinson, Gary Browne, Dave Beattie, Kieran Elliott, Kenny O'Connell, Selesie Tuipolotu, Senan Flanagan, Paul O'Reilly, James Loughnane, Darren Smith, Stephen Brady, Steven Ivers (capt.)

11-Man Co. Cavan 2nd XV overcome Dromore

Dromore 24

Co. Cavan 2nd XV 35

In what was a truly extraordinary display of courage, determination and guts an under- strength Cavan 2nd XV were victorious in Dromore at the weekend.

  Through no fault of anyone Cavan found themselves taking the field on Saturday last with only eleven players.

  The result of this match is a testament to all eleven. Reminiscent of Custer's Last Stand Cavan captain Eddie Brady took the bold step of not forfeiting the points and said that he would play the fixture - in the face of great odds it must be said.

  Whatever was said in the dressing room prior to Cavan taking the field it obviously was inspirational as a stunned home support watched Cavan notch up no less than five tries to the home side's three.

Changes

 Team manager John Loughane was forced to make some radical positional changes that included hooker Robbie Atcheson playing at scrum half, winger Stephen Loughnane stepping in at out half, while the kicking duties were foisted on the young shoulders of Morgan Farrell.  Second row Shane McCormack will remember this game for a long time as he was responsible for scoring four of the five tries for Cavan, Morgan Farrell getting the fifth.

  Team Captain Eddie Brady had a fine pack of forwards in Francie Murray, Myles O'Reilly, Robbie Beattie, Shane McCormack and Shane Kelly and they appeared to be everywhere on the field of play. In the backs and to a man no one was found wanting both in defence and in attack.

  Overwhelmed by the sheer passion of the Cavan side, Dromore suffered what can only be described as an embarrassing defeat which could have been even more humiliating had they not scored two tries in the last five minutes of the match.

  Nothing can prepare a player or a team for a confrontation such as this and in the final analysis it has to be said that Cavan wanted the win. Playing to their strengths they conjured up a display that simply defies logic.

Juveniles take the spoils in Newry

A full squad of the club's U-14 and U-16 players made the journey to Newry on Saturday last to take part in the Juvenile Blitz contest. 

  Both sides recorded comfortable wins over Monaghan and the host club.

  These encounters will boost confidence in an already strong group of players who are no strangers to success. Coaches Kevin Carahill and Kevin Gormley have been working extremely hard with these young players to prepare them for the coming season. Both the U-14 and U-16 will travel to Letterkenny for their first league fixture and the winning start in Newry at the week-end will serve them well.