Rugby: Naas hold on for narrow victory againt UCC

Ulster Bank League Division 1 B

UCC 31

Naas 36

With the threat of relegation looming large, Naas travelled to the Mardyke in Cork last Saturday knowing that a victory was vital. They responded in magnificent manner, leaving Cork with five points, and barring an unlikely set of results with their Division 1B status secure for another season.

Following the recent weather we have had to endure, this game was played in beautiful spring like conditions, and both sides served up some great rugby for the large crowd to enjoy.

Naas enjoyed the majority of possession early on but still fell behind on 16 minutes. After a visitors knock-on, U.C.C won a scrum, quickly moved the ball out to the backs and centre Paul Kiernan found a large hole in the Naas defence and sprinted through to score. The conversion by James Taylor was a formality and the home side led 7-0.

Within six minutes Naas levelled. A lovely jinking run by Niall Delahunt took him past two defenders and when he was hauled down, Max Whittingham was on hand to take the pass and score under the posts, with Peter Osborne adding the conversion.

On 27 minutes the home side regained the lead. Some great off-loading stretched the Naas defence and led to the Cork side having a three man overlap on the left wing. However Johne Murphy slapped down a pass which saw him getting a yellow card but stopping a certain try. James Taylor kicked the subsequent penalty.

Naas managed to survive the ten minute sin binning without conceding any further scores, and after 40 minutes they scored a second try. After winning a line-out they set up a driving maul, before moving the ball out wide to Fionn Carr who evaded a despairing tackle to score under the posts. The conversion by Peter Osborne gave Naas a 14-10 lead.

There was still time for another two tries in first half injury time. The first was a disaster for Naas. They created a big overlap but Johne Murphy elected to kick into the corner. However his kick went straight into the hands of Cork centre Peter Sylvester who raced clear. Credit to Murphy who chased back and managed to haul down Sylvester close to the line, but Daragh Moloney was on hand to receive the pass and score, with Taylor again converting.

Almost immediately Fionn Higgins produced a moment of brilliance to score a superb individual try. This was every bit as good as Andrew Conway's try for Munster against Toulon later in the afternoon. When Higgins caught a clearing kick 40 yards from the Cork line there did not appear to be much on. However he took off on a maze-y run that left a number of defenders trailing in his wake and led to him scoring a stunning try. Peter Osborne again converted and Naas led 21-17 at the interval.

The latter missed with a difficult penalty opportunity on 44 minutes to extend the Naas lead, and U.C.C. regained the lead eight minutes after this. Some good work by their pack created space out wide which Cian Bohane exploited to score in the corner. The very accurate Taylor was again successful with the conversion. The sides were constantly exchanging the lead and Naas regained it on 64 minutes. Max Whittingham spotted the the U.C.C. defence had rushed up quickly, and seeing a gap he made a break from the base of a ruck. Naas quickly recycled the ball when Whittingham was stopped, moved it out to the backs to Fionn Higgins who sprinted over to score. The conversion by Peter Osborne saw Naas lead 28-24.

U.C.C. who still had an outside chance of claiming automatic promotion threw everything at Naas in a bid to gain victory, and they were rewarded on 78 minutes. A decent kick behind the Naas defence by Cian Bohane saw them win a line-out five yards from the line. After securing possession they set up a driving maul, drove Naas back and led to Brian O'Mahony being credited with a try, which Taylor converted.

It now appeared that a tremendous effort by Naas was going to come up just short, but there was one final twist in this amazing game. Naas went straight back on the attack and hammered away at the U.C.C. defence through a series of phases. This eventually led to a ruck right on the line, and from this Warren Larkin managed to burrow his way over to score. The conversion by Osborne put Naas 33-31 in front.

The referee Kieran Barry was certainly enjoying this contest as well and wanted it to continue. He found no less than nine minutes injury time in the first half, and with the Naas supporters urging him to blow the final whistle, he added ten minutes to the second period.

Thankfully there was no heartbreak in these extra minutes for Naas, indeed they managed to extend the lead with a Peter Osborne penalty, to leave them victors by 36-31.

Naas are again on the road next Saturday as they travel to Limerick to face U.L. Bohemians with a 2.30 kick-off.

U.C.C.: Richard Walsh, Murray Linn, Paul Kiernan, Peter Sylvester, Cian Bohane, James Taylor, Andrew Dorgan, Bryan O'Connor, Tadgh McCarthy, Rob O'Donovan, Cian Barry, Daragh Moloney, Cian Fitzgerald, Lee McSharry, Brian O'Mahony. Replacements: Travis Coomey, James French, Fergus Hennessy, Kevin Slater, Shane McAuliffe.

Naas: Peter Osborne, Fionn Higgins, Fionn Carr, James Cherrington, Niall Delahunt, Johne Murphy, Max Whittingham, Graham Reynolds, Charlie Kings, Conor Doyle, Paul Monahan, David Benn, Cillian Dempsey, Will O'Brien, Paulie Tolofua. Replacements: Cathal Duff, Eoin Tierney, Andrew Kearney, Warren Larkin, Michael Skelton.