Connacht Junior Cup Final Special - Part One - Monivea's Last Win

Monivea 20 Galwegians 12

MONIVEA secured a first ever Connacht Junior league and Cup double at the Sportsground on a bitterly cold easter Sunday with a three try victory over Galwegians.

A blistering opening set the tone for their attacking game plan. They also capitalised on almost every opportunity that came their way during the 80 minutes and combined that with one of the grittiest and tenacious defensive efforts they’ve ever produced.

Scoring at key junctures is the mark of champions and Monivea have become the masters of this art during the last decade and a bit. Their three tries came 90 seconds after kick off, 90 seconds before half time and 90 seconds after half time. Each score, an absolute hammer blow to Galwegian hopes.

The sky blues were defending their title with largely the same core group of young players that stormed to the crown last season. The current crop of emerging under 21 talent in the club makes them a formidable obstacle at full strength, but they came into this final with very little continuity and only a handful of seconds games at full strength.

That was a factor in their inability to turn long periods of second half dominance, with the wind, into tries but another key factor was Monivea’s unyielding effort in defence. Tackle after tackle went in during the final quarter, chopping the young Wegian side down at the ankles and competing at rucks.

The game started with a bang. A Monivea lineout after 60 seconds saw Bernie Ryan find Dave Mahon, he handed the ball to Darren Blade who whipped it into the centre where Kevin Higgins charged through making 12 metres deep into their opponents 22.

A quick release to the backline gave Rory O’Connor the platform he needed, he took on his man on the outside using his exceptional pace then deftly off-loaded to Seamus Fahy, who had supported along the touchline to score in the corner for a 5-0 lead.

Over the next 20 minutes Galwegians laid out a firm case for victory with a quick penalty from Ross Shaughnessy in response steadying their nerves. Against the elements, they retained possession well after that and were gaining ground on each attack.

Their best moment came with Kris O’Shea and Paul Griffin linking on a break but a turnover ensued with a penalty much to their frustration. As half time approached, Monivea had cause for concern.

Prop Ronan Coughlan and centre John Culkin had both retired injured and they had just five points scored with the elements. Yet in the final 10 minutes, they clicked back into gear. Ger O’Connor hit a long range penalty before their second try right on the stroke of half time changed everything.

Kevin Higgins got it, powering over from five metres in a centre move straight out of the Brian O’Driscoll book of taking on your opposite man on the line and using your power and prowess to graft out the all important yard and a half. The conversion made it 15-3 at half time.

A 12 point lead seemed right on the borderline of enough but when Rory O’Connor scored their third try right after half time, it really put Monivea in the driving seat. It came from 12 metres inside his own half with the red and black attacking the short side and Eoin Rooney releasing his ultra quick winger with a fine pass.

At 20-3 the game still wasn’t done. Galwegians had a powerful scrum to build a platform and kicked two penalties before the hour mark to get right back in the contest. Half breaks from Ross Shaughnessy, good work from Ronan Burke and David Symes all helped while up front, Matthew Towey and Dora McHugh carried well.

Wegians rung the changes too, introducing Martin Fox, Danny Deegan and Dave Quill to good effect but when Damien McNelis went down with a shoulder injury just before a Galwegians scrum on the Monivea line, the balance shifted right back to Monivea with uncontested scrums.

It wasn’t the only reason why Monivea wrestled back the initiative during the final ten minutes and conceded only one more penalty to Shaughnessy, but it was a key one.

Monivea had leaders throughout the side and all their experience came through as they dealt with the elements, consecutive sin bins to Rooney and Willie Parker and relentless pressure. Mike Ward, Pat Fitzmaurice, Ger Fitzmaurice and Darren Blade all came to the fore at this point.

Late in the game, Wegians looked to have scored in the corner with Ronan Burke but the scramble defence from Ger O’Connor, Rory O’Connor and Ger Divilly saw them deal with a two man overlap and hold Burke up over the line to avert what could have been a vital try. It summed up their effort perfectly. This was Monivea’s day.

Monivea: S. Fahy; R. O’Connor, J.Culkin, K. Higgins, G. Divilly; G. O’Connor, D. Blade; G. Fitzmaurice, B. Ryan, R.

Coughlan; P. Fitzmauice, W. Parker; D. Madden, M. Ward, E. Rooney. Replacements: D. McNelis for Coughlan, B.McDonagh for Culkin, S. Joyce for Ryan.

Galwegians: R Burke; S. Thompstone, D. Symes, P. Hackett, R. Moore; R.Shaughnessy, C. O’Rourke; P. Griffin, R. Muckian, D. McHugh; S. Perkins,

E.Tarmey; E. Earle, M. Towey, K. O’Shea. Replacements: D. Deegan for Perkins, M. Fox for McHugh, D. Quill for Thompstone, M. Connolly for O’Rourke.

Referee: D. Collins.