BOI Plate U14 Boys

Charleville & District RFC V Waterford City RFC

Match Report – 18/02/24

Charleville & District welcomed the visitors, Waterford City RFC, for their second round match in the BOI Plate today. With two home fixtures in a row in the competition, the boys were remined how significant the advantage is to put an early marker down and stamp their authority on the league.

Although there were some late absentees due to illness, excellent squad numbers turned up to take the warmup in the build up to the match. Players that showed intent in the two training sessions before the match today got straight in with a call up to start regardless of age.

Thankfully, the showers from earlier in the morning had abated, and whilst the ground was sticky under foot, the teams took to the field in still conditions with sunny spells. Charleville elected to play towards the road end in the first half with the sun in their faces.

Charleville boys started the first third with serious intent. From the kick off they chased up and put the pressure on immediately, hunting down ball carriers and looking to force mistakes. This they managed to do, leading to an early scrum in mid field and an opportunity to get hands on the ball early. From the scrum Charleville worked through short direct carries to get ‘go forward’ ball. The sticky conditions on the ground made fast breaks difficult and in the early part of the game holding onto the ball was crucial.

In the 2nd minute, the pace of phase play quickened and with Waterford defenders drawn close into the breakdown area, Harry O’Conner struck the blind side close to the left touchline and made a dash from 25m out. The ground made rapid turns back to defend extremely difficult and Waterford covering defenders coming across could only prevent Harry from taking the ball under the posts. The conversion from out wide was unsuccessful (5-0).

An early substitution was made, as Krzystof Daszuta was unable to shake of a pulled muscle in warm up and James Drinan came into the front row.

The opening score was followed up swiftly as Charleville received the restart with Ronan Hayes making a direct carry back hard towards the Waterford centre. The momentum of Ronan’s run set the team going forward again through a series of rucks and short breaks before an offload to Muiris O’Riordan sent him through the middle at pace, leaving defenders clutching at air, to finish with a score close to the posts. The score was converted by Harry O’Conner to make it 12-0 in 3rd minute.

The game became more fractured with both sides struggling with the conditions causing handling errors and scrums. Relief for the spectators, who would be forgiven for not being rugby purists that revel in witnessing the practice of “the dark arts”, came in 10th minute, with what was arguably Charleville’s best team score.

Waterford found themselves deep in their 22 and looked to make an exit with a strong carry out of their own. After an initial sequence of solid phases of the breakdown, Charleville struck with a blitz defence that started to send Waterford backwards. Scrambled offloads ensued in a vein effort to find a player in space that could kick or carry them out of trouble, only for Charleville to pounce on a loose ball 15m out. The offload went to Ronan Hayes who powered through for a converted score under the posts to make it 19-0.

At this point Charleville made a number of substitutions to give plenty of game time to all the players in the squad. The changes took a bit of time to bed in and the next seven minutes of the match where characterised by a higher number of penalties for "holding on" on the ground. This disrupted Charleville boys’ rhythm and Waterford sensed that there may be an opportunity to get back into the game. With the opening third coming to an end, Waterford managed to make a series of breaks of their own and work their way right up to within 5m of Charleville line. Their final drive for what they were certain would be a try was denied by a last ditch tackle and conceding a penalty for a double movement in the attempt to score.

Although Charleville had relief with the kick out from their try line, Waterford were not giving up and continued to support and encourage each other to try and get something from the game.

In 17th minute Charleville started to gel better, looking after the ball and making more direct carries, particularly through the forwards. James Drinan made a number of strong runs in this phase of the game, drawing defenders to him in an effort to stop his progress. This put Charleville boys back into Waterford territory.

Waterford looked to carry the ball out of their half only for their progress too be halted by a knock on at the 10 m line. The Charleville scrum held firm with the ball hooked back well, Harry O’Conner, spotting that Waterford had only left a winger on the blind side, took the popped pass around the back to set up a four on one. With the defender drawn, the offload went to Muiris O’Riordan on the overlap who had open country in front of him to dot down close to the posts for a converted try to finish the opening third 26-0.

The second third started with Charleville having shuffled the team again at the break, but looking to continue where they left off. They duly did initially, as they went through a series of quick phases and released their backline down the left of the pitch, only to be stopped at the last moment by a great defensive effort from Waterford forcing Charleville into touch. However, the lineout for Waterford wasn’t the relief they had hoped for, as it was turned over, with Charleville boys rushing up to make their good fortune stick. No better man then, but for James Drinan to receive the ball and make another of the direct hard carries that defined his performance on the day and receive the worthy reward of a try in the corner with the characteristic opposition players hanging off him. Although the conversion from out wide missed narrowly across the face of the posts, the match as a contest was over at 31-0 in 2nd minute of the second third.

The remaining period of the match saw Waterford City RFC keep their heads up and bring some of their players from the start of the game back into the side. Their endeavour was rewarded with two converted tries under the posts through their pacey out half and open side winger before Luke Hodgenes responded with a characteristically deceptive run through several defenders after receiving ball from an excellent breakdown turnover.

The day ended with everyone satisfied of an excellent sporting display and Charleville parents surpassing themselves with the spread they put on for all the players, parents and coaches. Waterford City RFC were particularly grateful to be heading on the long journey home with full stomachs, even if they were empty handed.

This result has put Charleville boys in second place in the table, with a game in hand over the leaders. The start that Charleville needed has been delivered, but the boys can’t be under any illusions. There is a big difference between where they are now and getting a couple of crucial wins on the road to ensure they have the advantage of home quarter and semi-finals, which will likely feature strong opposition. The group will deserve a trophy at the end of the campaign, if they can maintain and exceed the standards that only they can set for themselves. Charleville boys will get that chance as they prepare this week for their third round fixture away to Carrick-on-Suir next Sunday.