Operation Transformation carries Carrick to victory
The Carrick RFC U-15 rugby squad that defeated Monivea in the league. Back row (l-r): Noel Dowd, Louis Glancy, Paudie Gilligan, Malachy Glover, Rory McNabola, Krystian Kopczynski, Solomon Gleeson, Rory Connaughton, Oran Oates, Ryan Moran and John Mulvanerty. Front row (l-r): Eli Mulligan, John Boyd, Cillian McGowan, Jack Foley, Ben McGarry, Joey McGovern, Luke Sharkey, Seamus McGuire and Timothy Tansey.
Monivea RFC……………….12
Carrick RFC………………….38
Connacht U-15 League
Carrick took to the road on Sunday, finding themselves in County Galway once again in what was a “must win” contest for both teams. Carrick, in particular, were desperate for victory in their pursuit of a play-off place.
However, it was a game of two distinctly different halves from a Carrick perspective. They started very positively and totally dominated possession and territory throughout the entire opening stanza. However, poor decision-making, basic handling errors, and loose tackling contributed to a frustrating opening quarter where Carrick were unable to put any points on the board.
Carrick actually crossed the Monivea line twice in the first 20 minutes but, unfortunately, dropped the ball on the first occasion. Then, five minutes later they were held up thanks to stout Monivea defending.
In the 22nd minute, and totally against the run of play, the excellent Monivea centre weaved his way across the pitch, evading tackle after missed tackle, and released his team-mate on the wing who touched down under the posts. The try converted, and it was 7-0 to Monivea.
Five minutes later, in only their second incursion into the Carrick half in the entire first half, Monivea attacked down the same wing as before and scored a near identical try in the corner to leave it 12-0 approaching half time.
This seemed to finally spur the Carrick pack into action and, after sterling work in the ruck, the ball ended up in the hands of flying wing Joey McGovern who shook off two tackles to crash determinedly over the line in the corner for his first competitive try to leave it 12-5 to Monivea at half time.
This score revitalised the entire Carrick squad who tore into Monivea from the moment the second half got underway. They were duly rewarded less than two minutes later when number 8 Krystian Kopczynski crashed over the line under the posts to set up an equalising conversion for Jack Foley.
With the wind in their sails, a near-identical move from the forwards resulted in another try for Kopczynski — 17-12 to Carrick. Monivea were reeling from this double whammy and it wasn’t long before Carrick made them pay again with a very well-taken try by Cillian McGowan midway through the second half after strong running by flanker Malachy Glover.
Monivea never gave up and a huge battle up front continued throughout the second half. However, Carrick’s belief in their tried and trusted system was paying dividends, and a superb forward run by prop John Mulvanerty led to a scrum from which Carrick scored their fifth try as Kopczynski completed his hat-trick in the 50th minute.
Carrick’s final flourish came in the dying minutes when, after another succession of rucks and ball carrying, the ball ended up in the hands of the strong running full-back Solomon Gleeson who scored near the posts, leaving an easy conversion for out-half Jack Foley.
If this Carrick side can sew two halves together like this second-half performance, and considering that five players were missing from the starting line-up, the signs are positive for the next two vitally important home fixtures against Ballinrobe on December 3rd and Gort on December 10th.
