INTERVIEW                      MATCH HIGHLIGHTS                       ITERVIEW

Ulster Bank League Division 3                                                                 

Greystones RFC 48, Instonians 6

Played: Saturday 19^th February 2011                                            

Venue: Dr Hickey Park – Greystones

Tries                                                                                                                                                                                            

Ronan Carroll (3), Alan O’Toole (1), Darragh Duggan (1), Bobby Clancy (1), Emlyn Lynch (1)

Conversions

Andrew Kealy (5)

Drop Goals

Roddy Carroll (1)

Greystones gave an awesome display of rugby when table toppers Instonians visited the fortress of Dr Hickey Park last Saturday. Stones have been enjoying some great form in their past games and went into this game on the back of impressive run of victories and are currently the highest scoring team in the Ulster Bank League.  This form was to continue as Stones ran in seven tries to move to third in the Division 3 League.

This was also a very special day at the club as we were holding the first Ladies Day with over 160 Ladies donning the finest couture for the pre-match lunch and to support the 1st XV and to add to the high pressure event IRFU/TV had selected this clash to send their camera crew to record.

On with the game and it was a very nervous start with Stones giving away a penalty in the first minute that was converted into three points. Instonians applied the pressure for the first quarter during which time Stones had very little ball and when they secured possession Instonians quickly turned it over. The pressure applied yielded a high penalty count with Stones receiving a yellow card on twenty minutes with Alan O’Toole sent to the bin for ten minutes, Instonians scored their final points of the day from the resulting penalty to lead 6 – 0.

Stones settled down to the task and opened their account with a well taken drop goal from scrum-half Roddy Carroll. The home side had settled down and were taking control of the match and a moment of indiscipline resulted in Instonians receiving a yellow card. Stones were holding possession now and after a number of phases no 10 James Power passed out to Ronan Carroll on the wing to run in the first try of the day giving Stones the lead at 8 – 6. Greystones continued to apply the pressure and showed composure to again work through the phases for Alan O’Toole to power over for try number two under the posts and Andrew Kealy made short work of adding the additional two points to leave Stones leading at half time 15-6.

The second half resumed with Stones scoring a try in the first five minutes with Darragh Duggan driving over and Kealy once again converting with a more challenging conversion from the side line.  Stones were in total control at this stage and took full advantage of the defensive gaps to release Ronan Carroll to score his second  and the bonus point try for Stones and Andrew Kealy kicking from the same spot on the touch line again converted to give a  lead of 29 -6.

Heading into the last quarter of the march it was all one way traffic now and Ronan Carroll scored his hat-trick with a superb display of skill when he kicked on the ball and executed a skilful one handed pickup up to run in try five for Stones, Andrew Kealy was unlucky when his well struck kick hit the post.  Bobby Clancy was next to show his skills when his excellent dummy caught the Instonians defence and he crossed the line close to the posts and Andrew Kealy slotting ove the conversion.  Stones were not finished when in the dying minute’s replacement Emlyn Lynch was released to score try number seven under the posts with an easy conversion for Andrew Kealy.

Greystones have enjoyed a fantastic run of victories and are now well placed for promotion to Division 2. This has been the fourth match in a row with a trip to Highfield due next week. The scheduling of matches has to be reviewed for next year with the team having a break of eight weeks over the Christmas and then five back to back matches it is a lot to ask of club and players and a better planned fixture list  needs to be put in place next season.

Greystones Team                                                         

15 Ross Spillane                                                CLICK HERE FOR MORE MATCH PHOTOS                                                                         
14 Ronan Carroll
13 Simon Malone
12 Aaron Higgs
11 Andrew Kealy                         
10 James Power
9 Roddy Carroll
1 Ronan Kearney
2 Dylan Fawsitt
3 Bobby Clancy
4 Barry Holmes (Capt)
5 Ben Armstrong
6 Darragh Duggan
7 Alan Dempsey
8 Alan O'Toole

Replacements

16 Peter Hipple
17 Neil O'Brien
18 Rob Smith
19 James Beery
20 Emlyn Lynch