North Munster League U14 Boys - Charleville & District RFC V UL Bohemians RFC

Charleville U14/U13 boys finally got their season rolling with a visit from UL Bohemians to a sunny yet slick Shandrum on Sunday 6th October.

This is the biggest step change in rugby yet for players as they move from minis up to Youth with full size pitches and all the intricacies of the laws. The squad have come together over the few weeks leading up to this game with an intensive period of training twice (sometimes three times) a week. 

The enthusiasm and love of the game in the group has been obvious from the start. They have taken to the intensity of training to get into the grove for a successful, safe, and enjoyable season in their development.

After successfully passing the MAR Referee inspection of their boots, which otherwise could have thrown in a messy grubber before the start, Charleville boys were reminded of the opportunity they had to show what they can do on their home ground.

Charleville kicked off from the Newtown road end and had officially entered the North Munster League and their first match of the season. The opening exchanges saw Charleville compete hard, showing the bedrock of belief that is in the team. But they were starved of any possession for the first five of twenty five minutes in the opening half. UL Bohs was made to work hard for every inch of territory as the gradually worked up the pitch. Their progress was aided by some penalties given away by Charleville for offside at the breakdown, but this is part of the steep learning curve that the boys face. After soaking up so much pressure UL Bohs got a break that allowed them to go under the posts for the opening converted score 0-7.

The pattern continued as Charleville battled hard to get hands on the ball and make a dent of their own. But infringements and handling errors stalled momentum and on the 8th minute UL Bohs were through once more after getting the ball to the edge for a converted score 0-14.

To the casual observer it may have seemed that Charleville heads would drop, and they would wilt away. But that would betray the evidence on the field and the strong spirit that runs through the spine of the team. Most important of all, the boys knew this too.

After the restart Charleville boys finally managed to get some possession and play much more in the UL Bohs half of the pitch. The pressure ball that is an essential part of Charleville’s game started to pay off as the boys pushed up onto the UL Bohs half backs, forcing handling errors, messy ball and turnover opportunities.

The core of the U14 team this year is a small band, but they are dedicated, determined and direct. With the prestart message in their ears as “the chosen men” that will lead by example and set the standard for the others to follow, players like James Drinan, Sam and Hugh O’Donnell and Bill O’Keeffe got the pack making ground with big carries at the opposition. These surges became relentless and piled huge pressure on UL Bohs, who finally gave away two penalties in quick succession in the red zone. On the second penalty a characteristic hard press from James Drinan was rewarded with an unconverted score in 11th minute 5-14. Charleville had opened their account, narrowed the score, but best of all had proof that their belief in themselves was not unfounded.

Charleville boys rallied by their captain Chris Gould, picked up where they left off on the restart with the pack stepping up to keep them moving forward. The contest was a much more even affair now with both teams trying to get useful possession to their backs to try and attack down the flanks. The Charleville boys found themselves having to grow up fast as they strained to get cover out to the side channels. But they were doing enough with good tackles into touch on UL Bohs bigger wide runners.

Keeping UL Bohs out on these attacks on the edge proved vital, as Charleville boys went on battering the door with their pack and direct carries by Darragh O’Sullivan in at 12. As the opening half entered is final phase, Charleville built another sustained period of pressure, forcing a sequence of penalties that allowed them to get deep into the UL Bohs red zone. Although UL Bohs anticipated the penalty pass to James Drinan, that doesn’t mean they were prepared for it. To be honest, few would be, and another dominant and direct carry was rewarded with an unconverted score 10-14. Half time and Charleville were right back in it.

On resumption of play in the second half, Charleville boys raised their game another level, sensing that they had the chance to turn the tie completely in their favour. In a blistering intensive period early in the half, Charleville pressed with relentless straight carries, almost as though players were looking for the biggest player in the opposition to run at. With wave after wave of narrow direct attack Charleville found themselves a metre out from the UL Bohs line in the 5th minute. Moments after a warning from the referee to UL Bohs to stay on side, a surge from James Drinan was met with an infringement and a penalty try was awarded to Charleville to bring the score to 17-14.

Charleville led game for five more minutes. To UL Bohs credit, they regathered some composure to put some patterns of play together to retake the lead with a well converted score in the 33rd minute to make it 17-21. Thereafter the game was an evenly committed and finely balanced affair. Charleville put pressure on their opponents in at times, but not consistently enough to tilt the tie back in their favour. A striking feature of Charleville in the second half was their defence particularly in the back field and wide channels. This was highlighted by none other than Zac Carroll who more than justified his selection at full back with at least two outstanding last ditch tackles into touch to prevent certain try scoring opportunities. 

As the half progressed, the effort and commitment from Charleville began to tell and in the last minute of the match they conceded a converted score to finish the match 17-28. Whilst the victory to UL Bohs was deserved in the end, this was a much, much closer game than the scoreline suggests.

This is a group of players that are made up predominantly of U13 boys, playing their first match of  the season, in the strongest league in Munster against a team with two matches under their belt before this tie and all on the age. Coaches can help with other things but there are qualities that only players and a group can find within, nurture, and bring to the field of endeavour. Character, commitment, desire and comradeship. This group of players have brought these in spades and from such firm foundations great things will spring. We are in no doubt.