Thomond 44 Sunday’s Well 8
It was a tough opening for Sunday’s Well to start their Munster Junior League campaign. Going away to reigning League champions Thomond who already had a tough game under their belt. The scoreline, a little harsh on the ‘Well but the players know there is a lot they can work on and build on in the coming days.
Approaching half-time it looked that it was going to be a very competitive game, as Thomond held on to a narrow 5-3 lead. A series of tries for the hosts right at the end of the first and beginning of the second half saw them pull away and with the ‘Well chasing the game; their excellent finishing put an emphatic emphasis on the scoreline.
Thomond did get off to a bright start with an early score from their Number eight Ryan O’Donovan-Aherne, after a break off a scrum saw them run down the blindside.
The ‘Well responded and dominated the next quarter of an hour. The wingers Emeka Asiegbu and Alex Lane were magnificent either under the high ball in tricky conditions or running hard at the Thomond defence to get the ‘Well on the front-foot. The back battled hard, with Captain Finn MacFhlannchadha making some powerful surges and Evan O’Connell and Andrew Mintern also carrying strongly and working hard to create turnover.
The ’Well pressure saw them pinned on the Thomond line but they just couldn’t get over. Jamie O’Leary with a powerful effort looked like he may have scored but was adjudged to be held up. Eventually, a penalty allowed young out-half Ciaran McGuire to open the scoring for the ‘Well. The young underage star, making his first senior League game showed great maturity and tenacity throughout the match. Even when things went against the team he showed composure and confidence in a solid performance.
The rest of the half was ebb and flow, with some excellent defensive sets by the ‘Well. New arrivals Mariano Cossimi and Kees Pereka put in plenty of big hits while also showing bright promising signs in attack.
Unfortunately, after a competitive first half, events on either side of half-time killed the game off. Not only with the concession of three quick tries but an injury withdrawal of influential Cormac Kelleher. Thomond showed their class to pull away but the ‘Well continued to battle in trying circumstances. Ryan Kelleher was a replacement who definitely caught the eye and after a great move; he deservedly got in for a try to at least have the merest of consolations.
Scorers: Thomond: Ryan O’Donovan Aherne (2), Jamie McGarry, Jack Cosgrave, Dean O’Brien, Jake Connolly, Joe Costelloe, Jason Kiely penalty, 3 cons.
Scorers: Sunday’s Well: Ryan Kelleher try, Chirstian McGuire pen.
Thomond: Jamie McGarry; Luke Costelloe; Joshua Dillon, Jake Connolly, Dean O’Brien; Jason Kiely, Evan Maher; Rian Burke, Sean Rice, Kian McGrath; Aidan Quinlivan, Riann O’Dwyer; Jack Cosgrave, Keelan McMahon, Ryan O’Donovoan-Aherne. Replacements: Jack O’Shea, Warner Kruger, Colin Slater, Joe Costelloe, Morgan Bateman, Shane Kiely, Eoghan Sherlock.
Sunday’s Well: Mariano Cossimi; Alex Lane, Jamie O’Leary, Harry McHenry, Emeka Asiegbu; Ciaran McGuire, Fabian Loughrey; Evan O’Connell, Andrew Ryan-McCarthy, Mick McCarthy; Andrew Mintern, John Costello; Kees Pereka, Cormac Kelliher, Finn MacFhlannchadha. Replacements: Sean McDonald, Eoin Ahearne, Alan McDonald, Jacob Lane, Mossy McDermott, Ryan Kelleher, Mikey O’Connell
