Wanderers 5 Buccaneers U20 52
Buccaneers U20’s doled out a 52-5 hammering to Wanderers on the tight confines at Merrion Road, Dublin.
Buccs scored eight tries in this J.P.Fanagan Leinster League Premier 2 encounter. The result keeps the Athlone side nestling in the top three.
Ben Daly led the scoring with a hat-trick of tries. A brace each from Luke Balsiger and Gavin Daly while Jack Crompton and Tom Shine got a try each.
Ruaidhri Fallon gave an exhibition of rugby from stand-off. His field kicking especially kept the opposition, filled with Leinster school boy stars, guessing and on the back foot all day.
Wanderers forwards were a tough pack and started the stronger. Wanderers were tamed after 10 minutes with a Daly try. A James Blair silky run on 20 minutes, sucked in a handful of defenders, giving Crompton space to put Daly in for his first try of the game.
A few minutes before half-time the bonus point was secured by Daly. The fifth try of the afternoon was touched down by Balsiger as Buccs lead 31-0 at half-time.
Second-Half
Geoff Lande got a try for Wanderers when Buccs decided to over-elaborate on exiting their own 22.
Once the ‘bomb squad’ was released from the bench, led by the powerful Kieran Egan and energetic Robbie Byrne, Buccs entered cruise control with Cameron Brill and Jim Connolly punching holes in the opposition defence with powerful runs.
Man-of-the-match Cian McCann was unstoppable in every position all day and the influence of front rowers Charlie Byrne, Oisin Dolan and Dylan Bolger could not be matched by Wanderers.
Sean Treacy and Donagh McCormack gave solid displays when coming off the bench and give more selection headaches to management.
Buccs 20’s visit Mullingar next Saturday, November 19th on their bikes \uD83D\uDEB2 along the Greenway. The players having decided to participate in a fundraising sponsored cycle to help finance their U-20’s rugby programme.
A social evening is planned afterwards in The Bounty Bar to watch Ireland take on Australia. All members and supporters of Buccaneers are welcome to participate on this sponsored greenway cycle.
This visit to the Capital was live streamed by Tom O'Neill with commentary from Ray Lannon and supported by www.mariangale.ie
Wanderers: J Casey, G Lande, D Hale, J Shields, S Arkwright, D Clarke, E Lacey, R.McArdle, M.Patterson, F.Duggan, M.Atkinson, M.Cassidy (c), L.Murray, O.Carroll and S.Atkinson.
Replacements: O.J.Meagher, R.Shanahan, R.O’Sullivan, E.Doherty, J.Moroney, J.Brady.
Buccaneers: J.Blair, M.Glynn, T.Shine (captain), J.Crampton, B.Daly, R.Fallon, D.Colgan, D.Bolger, O.Dolan, C.Byrne, F.McDonnell, C.McCann, D.Fitzgerald, G.Daly, L.Balsiger.
Replacements: C.Brill, J.Connolly, K.Egan, L.Giles, R.Byrne, D.McCormack, S.Treacy, O.Burgess, A.Cepi, E.Naughton.
Referee: Michael Kirk (Leinster).
Buccaneers seconds 17 Connemara 20
Buccaneers seconds are closing the gap on serial winners Connemara but they will view this narrow 20-17 Connacht Junior 1A defeat under the Dubarry Park floodlights as an opportunity missed.
With just six survivors from last season’s Junior Cup final, Buccs ambitions were also thwarted by injuries to a number of key players early in this duel.
Meanwhile Connemara were more or less at full strength and opened the scoring with an early penalty by Ian Staunton.
But the younger Buccs responded well and their enterprising attacking yielded a Cathal O’Grady try converted by Andrew Evans. Connemara regained the lead when a home clearance failed to make touch. The counter attack with skipper Staunton scoring an unconverted try.
In the final move of the half, the Pirates opted not to kick a ‘gimme’ penalty from in front of the posts and their brave pick and go was rewarded when the returning Ryan O’Meara surged over for a try which Evans converted to put the Athlone side 14-8 ahead at half-time.
Second-Half
Buccs were twice unlucky soon after the change of ends on a mild calm evening. Evans saw a penalty kick tail fractionally wide. Rory O’Connor was harshly whistled back for a dubious offside as he ran on to Evans chip over the cover.
Connemara were soon back in front again when a period of pressure was finished off by Michael O’Toole for a try converted by Staunton. Buccs refused to wilt and Connemara conceded a number of penalties in quick succession. Including a couple of high tackles and a deliberate knock-on that eventually saw Mark Joyce sin-binned.
The exchanges were now of a ding-dong variety and an Evans penalty edged Buccs back in front before Staunton scored his second unconverted try for the visitors in the closing minutes.
Another debateable decision deemed a pass by O’Connor to be forward and Connemara held on for victory that moves them up to third in the table.
Buccaneers: A.Flanagan, R.Murphy-Sweeney, C.FitzGibbon, R.Teape, H.Balsiger, A.Evans, E.O’Reilly, J.Kelly (c), D.Browne, S.O’Connell, F.Galvin, C.O’Grady, T.Curley, B.Fagan, R.O’Meara.
Replacements: C.Walsh for Fagan, R.O’Connor for O’Grady, B.Fagan for O’Meara, E.Gallagher for Teape, C.Fokam for O’Connell, S.Flynn for O’Reilly, S.O’Connell for Curley, E.O’Reilly for Flanagan, T.Curley for Fagan.
Connemara: H.O’Toole, E.Griffiths, E.Bourke, M.Joyce, M.Conneely, I.Heanue, M.O’Toole, E.Conroy, I.Staunton (captain), F.Heffernan, R.Conneely, D.O’Reilly, T.Mullen, P.Lee and T.Berry.
Replacements: C.Higgins, M.Mullins, K.Roberts, D.Roche, B.Keane.
Referee: Michael Honan (Connacht).
Westport 18 Buccaneers Thirds 21
The motley crew that is Buccaneers Thirds continued on their winning ways at Carrowholly on Sunday when they overcame Westport Thirds in a finely balanced joust 21-18.
In breezy but benign weather conditions, Buccs did not have it all their own way and it took a 76th minute Sean Flynn try, converted by Gerard Fallon, to seal victory.
Two first-half tries by the impressive David Fagan built momentum for this merry band of pirates. Martin Lyons put in a man-of-the-match display on his return to action and another returnee Dermot O’Rourke also did well. Fallon, who converted all three tries, steering his shipmates adroitly from scrum-half.
Buccaneers: H.Hughes, M.O’Daly, J.Downes, S.Flynn, M.Byrne, D.Fagan, G.Fallon, N.Harney (c), K.Grehan, T.Thompson, L.Baker, G.Kenny, M.Lyons, M.Moore, E.Slevin.
Replacements: N.Flynn, K.Connolly, A.M.Abono, D.O’Rourke, P.McManus, W.Hudson, L.Berrigan, T.Ward.
Other Results
U18.5’s Black 45 Galwegians 0
U-16’s 15 Ballina 14
U-18 Girls 17 Claremorris 51
U-14 Girls beat Corinthians
Pre-Match Banbridge Fixture
There will be a pre-match function for the All-Ireland league game against Banbridge on Saturday, December 3rd.Buccaneers final home AIL game this year.
It will also be an ideal event to get together pre-Christmas. Cost is only €30 per person and covers meal with complimentary wine in The Bounty, 100-page matchday programme and free admission to the game.
Groups or individuals can be catered for. To book for this not to be missed game, kindly contact our Administrator Geraldine at 0861732711 or any club officer.
Thank You
There was a splendid turnout for the table quiz organised by the U-18.5 squad held in The Bounty last week.
Thank you to everyone who came along on the night, to those who donated prizes and especially to the organisers. It is a lovely, low cost night out and a simple fund-raising event that other teams in the club should easily replicate.
‘Your Club, Your Country’ Super Draw
Tickets are now on sale from club officials for the annual ‘Your Club, Your Country’ Super Draw organised by the IRFU.
10 great prizes are on offer and one of them could be yours for just €10.
The star prize is return flights, hotel accommodation, match tickets and spending allowance for two persons to see Ireland play in the Rugby World Cup in France next year.
Other prizes include €5,000 cheque, Six Nations match packages and Aer Lingus business class flights to USA. Check www.buccaneersrfc.com for full list.
Tickets (sold or unsold) must be returned to our Administrator Geraldine before the end of November.
Tickets can also be purchased online but make sure you click on Buccaneers logo when doing so.
All the money raised from ticket sales goes to the club. It’s a great value draw at only a tenner per entry so please support.
Junior Cert Disco
The ever popular junior cert disco will take place in the Lower Deck at The Bounty on Wednesday November 23rd.
This alcohol-free, supervised celebration disco on the night that the results are issued is the traditional place for these young girls and boys to celebrate.
DJ music will play from 9p.m. to midnight. Tickets can be purchased through the schools and only by last summer’s junior cert students.
