O’Neill And Delooze On The Mark For Bohs

UL Bohemians scored their fourth straight win over Galwegians as they opened their AIB League Division One campaign with an encouraging display at Annacotty on Saturday.

AIB LEAGUE: DIVISION ONE: Saturday, October 4

UL BOHEMIANS 14 GALWEGIANS 6, Annacotty

Scorers: UL Bohemians: Tries: James O’Neill, Chris Delooze; Cons: Fergal Lawler 2
Galwegians: Pens: Matt Brandon 2

Bohs fielded a team which included a dozen players from last season’s All-Ireland Under-20-winning side.

A quickly-taken lineout put James O’Neill over for a try which had the hosts 7-3 in front at half-time.

‘Wegians, for whom Matt Brandon kicked two penalties, failed to make use of the conditions and they leaked a second try when Chris Delooze cut through off a tap penalty.

Bohs were much the sharper and dealt with the conditions better as they secured their fifth win in 7 AIB League encounters with ‘Wegians.

The men from the west, now coached by Kevin Tierney, started with Connacht-contracted duo John Lyne and David Nolan in their pack and they made decent ground early on.

But they lacked potency behind the scrum and new out-half Brandon was off target with an 18th-minute penalty attempt.

With the wind and rain at their backs, ‘Wegians had a number of chances to create a score but Bohs defended stoutly and kept them at bay.

The home side, who finished mid-table last season, bagged the game’s opening try in the 38th minute.

Team captain Martin McPhail launched an attack down the right wing, breaking a tackle before hoofing the ball down the touchline.

He got up to bundle the defender into touch, and with ‘Wegians caught out of position, a quick lineout throw and a necklace of passes ended with O’Neill scoring on the opposite wing.

Out-half Lawler converted for a 7-3 interval lead, with Brandon registering his side’s points on the stroke of half-time.

Rugby World Cup final referee Alain Rolland kept a tight handle on things and allowed play to flow, which helped young Bohs players Giles Boland and Murray Kinsella make their mark.

The result was confirmed by the hour mark, after scrum half Delooze had taken a quick penalty and squirmed over to catch the visitors’ defence napping again.

Facing into the elements, ‘Wegians struggled to reply and their late push for a losing bonus point never came, despite a well-struck 70th-minute penalty from Brandon.