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.
Iveraghs first outing was on Saturday against Tralee in the u15 plate. Tralee have two teams and as expected won comfortably 42-10. However, all the damage was done in the first half as Iveragh hadn't had a game for a while and were very rusty. On their last meeting, Tralee dominated the whole game, but this time, Iveragh got going as the game went on and played very well in the second half, scoring two tries and could have had two more so good improvements made here by the squad .
Next up were the senior team in the Mick Barry cup against Killarney .the game was played under lights on Saturday night in Castleisland’s ground .This was a vital game as a win would put iveragh into the semi finals. Iveragh made a blistering start with the forwards carrying straight and hard into contact and using a rush defence ,gave Killarney no chance to settle. An early penalty was scored by fullback, Brian O’Leary and both centres combined for a try shortly after scored by Cathal Andy. Iveragh had total dominance in the scrums but were in trouble at the lineout.
Another penalty was slotted by Leary and just on the stroke of half time ,he drove over a monster from nearly the halfway line to leave the score 16-0. Killarney upped the tempo in the second half and confined iveragh to their own 22 for the first 25 minutes. The pressure told with a try from big second row, Chris Brosnan from a tap penalty. Iveragh finally managed to gain some territory and after a series of “pick and go”s were unlucky not to score again when the ball knocked on at the tryline. Iveragh then ran down the clock and the game finished 16-7.
A cup semi-final now awaits against Munster heavyweights Dolphin or Cashel, fixtures have to wait for another round of games this weekend. A challenge game against Listowel is on the cards for this Sunday to keep things ticking over.
