Brandon backs Creggs to keep good times rolling

Even though the early to mid-90s are considered the golden period in the history of Creggs Rugby Club, the current generation is doing a fine job in their attempts to rekindle past glories.

Creggs securing All-Ireland League qualification in 1996 while winning the league remains a momentous achievement, but fast forward 30 years and Creggs are enjoying another hugely successful period.

This current crop is just one win away from a remarkable fourth successive Connacht J1A League title as they face Dunmore RFC this Sunday at the Dexcom Stadium, kick-off at 5 p.m.

This season, Kolo Kiripati’s side lost three of their seven group games in the league and were forced to battle hard for the final semi-final berth.

But, despite venturing to Ballina to face a side that had been flawless during the group phase for the semi-final, Creggs didn’t shirk the sizeable task at hand. They showed their winning mentality when coming from 14-8 down in the last play of the game as Ronan Dowd showed nerves of steel to nail an extremely tricky conversion and secure a sensational triumph.

Creggs captain James Brandon feels that victory summed up his side’s season — not hitting their highest level but still finding a way when the need was greatest.

“I suppose you are never going to be perfect but we haven’t got to 90 or 95 per cent yet, maybe other than in one game earlier on in the year. We have been trying to build performances back-to-back. We were probably quietly confident going down to Ballina.

“I know we had lost a couple of league games and they were seven (wins) from seven. We were only four from seven but we would still have backed ourselves going down there. We had been slowly putting together a string of performances, so we believed. We were delighted coming away with the win.

“There was a league final against Connemara two years ago when we came back to win. We got a kick to win it, but we still had to defend afterwards. I don’t think I have ever been part of a game where we have been on the right side of one of those last gasp scores, never mind in a semi-final. It was unbelievable. We were kind of gobsmacked when it (the conversion) went over and we had actually done it,” the Creggs captain stated.

Creggs will get the chance to line out at the newly redeveloped Dexcom Stadium for the first time this Sunday.

Brandon, who spoke to the Roscommon Herald on his 27th birthday, stated that, given his team’s busy schedule, he hasn’t had time to think about lining out at the redeveloped home of Connacht Rugby. When he takes a moment, the solicitor acknowledges it will be special to lead the team out next Sunday.

“I haven’t really thought about it. It does look like a serious set-up. We have been relatively lucky in the past number of years, and though we won the cup in Ballina, when we have played there previously, it has gone fairly well for us. It will be a big deal on the day to be coming out under the stand even though I am sure there will be a lot happening on the day,” he noted.

For the winner of this Sunday’s J1A League final, a place in the All-Ireland League play-offs awaits.

It has been a nut that Creggs have been unable to crack despite winning the last three league titles. According to Brandon, the focus is solely on this Sunday but there is no denying Creggs would love another crack at the All-Ireland League play-offs.

“First of all, it is win what is in front of you, but we have had an aim from the start of the year to try and get to this position and then give the play-offs a good run if we were to win the domestic league. You can’t really get ahead of yourself because there are so many hurdles in the first place, but it is something we are aspiring to get to,” he concluded.