'Wegians left feeling Blue after home hammering

Date Published: {J}

Galwegians 17Ballynahinch 33

Galwegians’ AIL campaign got off to a disastrous start when they were comprehensively beaten by newly promoted Ulster side Ballynahinch at Crowley Park on Saturday.

The Blues came into this game on the back of a recently secured Connacht Senior League title and indeed an unbeaten run dating back to February, but their confidence and winning streak deserted them as they were outfoxed by the hungrier visitors who even managed to steal a bonus point at the death. 

Playing with the aid of a slight first-half breeze, the County Down men took an early lead with a third minute penalty from James Lash, and the out-half doubled their lead to 6-0 with a second penalty on 12 minutes, with the Blues constantly getting on the wrong side of referee Sean Gallagher.

However an intercept from ’Wegians young centre Colin Conroy soon afterwards finally gave the Blues some momentum, and an excellent cross-kick from out-half Tadhg Leader almost put full-back John Cleary over in the corner.

But the damage was done as the powerful Galwegian pack made mince meat out of the visiting pack, and three successive scrum collapses by the ’Hinch pack gave referee Gallagher no option but to award a penalty try.

Leader converted to put ’Wegians narrowly in front 7-6, but it was short-lived as a basic handling error from the restart gave the visitors a chance to go on the attack again, and Lash soon added his third penalty to put them 9-7 to the good.

It got even better for the Mourne men five minutes later when more pressure gave centre James Thompson time and space to set off on a weaving run, and he showed a clean pair of heels to the Blues defence to cross near the right-hand corner for their first try.

Lash missed the difficult conversion to leave the margin 14-7, and while that was forgivable, what was unforgivable from the visiting out-half was being shown a red card barely two minutes later for reckless use of the boot with the visitors again pressing the ’Wegians line.

This handed the initiative back to the hosts, and they looked set to capitalise when they went on the immediate offensive. This led to a penalty for offside in front of the posts which Leader tapped over to reduce arrears to 14-10.

For more, read this week's Connacht Sentinel.