Roots & All is a project where we pick a few teams that don’t normally make the spotlight week in week out and feature them regularly throughout an entire campaign.
Two weeks on from my last few words and the Naas RFC Senior team continue their unbeaten run. 8 out of 8
On the 29th September the 1st round of the Ulster Bank League kicked off. We had an away fixture against our well fancied near neighbors NUIM Barnhall. Even though we had beaten them a few weeks earlier this was different, this was the AIL, maybe we had shown them too much, either way although there was confidence in the club we were still not convinced how wrong were we!
Unfortunately I was unable to make it to the match but a regular feed of texts kept me updated and here’s how the time line reads 3-0; 3-3 ; 6-3; 9-3; 12-3; HT; 12-6; 12-9; Try Barnhall19-9; Try Naas19-14; Red Card Barnhall; Try Naas 19-21; Last Min drop goal Barnhall missed, just!!
Naas Win.
So we’re off the mark with a great away, if a little nerve racking, win but a win is a win as they say and next up is Connemara at home.
Saturday, 6th October 2012, Forenaughts, and round 2 has arrived. The club house received a much needed make over, new windows a fine paint job and a good old fashioned clean up. Pre match lunch all set with our guest speaker “The Outsider” Geordan Murphy doing a Q&A and “the Boss” JLP even sent in a question - Ask him was Kidney on the blower to him as Rob Kearney was being helped off the pitch in Galway!
And the answer turned out to be a serious and long answer about how he spoke with Deccie on his retirement and Deccie asked would the phone be on if he was needed? What was Geordies answer – yes but only if I’m on a beach with the missus!! NO he told Deccie what he need to hear- start bringing in the young boys, did he listen – remains to be seen but I for one don’t think so. Anyway we had a match to get to.
An early line break by outhalf, created an early scoring opportunity for Naas they duly took a 7 nil lead after 7 minutes and we were off and running and it didn’t stop there
A 30m line break to the Connemara 22 leads to a pen which was slotted over comfortably from 20 metres to extend the Naas lead to 10 points after 19 minutes.
5 minutes later Naas try which following a backline attacking move inside the Connemara 22 which was brilliantly finished by the openside flanker, The conversion was well taken by David Aherne to give Naas a significant 17 point lead.
In the next 10 minutes the scoring trend was reversed as Naas conceded three successive penalties at the breakdown, two of which were within kicking range of the talented Connemara outhalf, Sean Joyce who slotted over from 35m to reduce the deficit to 11 points after 34 minutes.
Minutes later however, Naas fullback fielded brilliantly on halfway and swiftly off-loaded to wing Rob Campbell who attacked forward at pace to the Connemara 22 where he combined with centre, Daragh O'Shea and Henry Bryce who powered over under the posts. The conversion by David Aherne gave Naas a lead of 24-6.
Just ahead of the interval Naas conceded a long range penalty for a ruck infringement and Sean Joyce again slotted over brilliantly to keep Connemara in touch with a halftime score of 24-9.
Any hope of a challenge by Connemara was quickly dashed by Naas following the interval, when they opened with two rapid tries in the first 5 minutes both of which were converted. The first of these was scored by the impressive Samoan backrow, Misioka Timoteo, (better known Misty Timahoe) making his debut for Naas, who picked from a 5m scrum and powered over just right of posts. The second was scored by Rob Campbell who took an offload from Peter Osborne on the Connemara 22 and crossed on the left flank to touch down under the posts giving Naas a comfortable 38-9 lead after 45 minutes.
In the final 20 minutes Naas ran in 6 more tries and conversions finishing up with 11 trys 10 conversions a and 1 pen given Naas a very comprehensive 78-9 win.
Having now won their opening two League games, Naas sit in 3 place on the table on 9 points and will be hoping to maintain their momentum and will be looking forward to their next game away to Skerries on 27th October.
The 21st also started off well with an impressive fulltime score finished of Naas 36 - 0 against UCD in the JP Fanagan Pennant
The J1’s lost a Monday night game against Suttonians 0– 17 but it was still a good weekends work.
The U12 have had a happy start to the North Midland matches clocking up wins against Portlaoise and Newbridge and then kicked of their Metro fixtures away to Old Belvedere We brought 4 squads played 8 matches and won 5 drew 2 and lost 1. Won’t see our boys this week as I’m off to do the Leinster Branch Foundation Course which should be interesting, I’ll let you know how I get on next time.
Until then Happy Rugby
You can follow me on twitter @michaelcahill67 or Naas RFC @naasrfc
