Big wins for Carrick RFC underage squads

Three wins for Carrick RFC underage teams last weekend while the Senior team suffered defeat.

Seniors: Carrick Seniors travelled to Ballina for their Connacht J1c League Match last Sunday. In atrocious weather conditions, an understrength Carrick side went down by 28-12. 

U.18.5: Carrick's U18.5 team kept the pressure on for a Connacht League semi-final place with a win at home to Corrib on Saturday. Within eight minutes, Diarmuid O’Connell had crossed for a brace of tries. Tries from Colm Burke, Ben O'Connor, Ambrose Devine and Peter Moran left the half-time score 43-0 to the home team.

Corrib  scored their first try in the 40th minute. The second half was a physical battle but three more tries in the second half from Carrick's Peter Moran, Conal Creighton, and Tristan Hoey, saw Carrick past the winning post.

Carrick's U18.5s are back in action on Friday December 22, away to Loughrea.

Team: P Moran, C Enright, S Mooney, G Murtagh, C Burke, B O’Connor, R Hanrahan, J Deegan, G Barry, O Quinn, L McNamee, A Devine, C McDonagh, J Bosomtwe, D O Connell, A Deegan, C Creighton, T Hoey, C Gavin, O Singleton, E Costello

U15: In only their second home game of the season,  Carrick put Ballinrobe to the sword for the very first time in three years of playing Youth Rugby, winning 35-9.  It was sweet revenge after Carrick lost out to a controversial injury time try in Ballinrobe four weeks ago. Carrick faced into the strong breeze in the first half and started as they meant to go on. After sustained pressure by the forward unit of Jude Kennedy, Oran Oates, Paudi Gilligan in his debut at prop, second rowers Ryan Moran & Noel Dowd,   Carrick struck first with a sweetly struck 25 metre penalty from Moran, 3-0 to Carrick.

Ballinrobe soon drew level when a soft penalty for a high tackle resulted in a penalty which was converted. Carrick were not to be deterred and were rewarded with a great forwards try, finished off by Kopczynski. Ballinrobe responded well and went ahead with two successful penalties   leaving the score 9-8 to Ballinrobe at half time in a very evenly matched first 30 minutes.

Of late, the Carrick forwards have steamed into the second half determined to make their mark and with the wind in their backs, Carrick made terrific use of the kick-chase tactic with outhalf Foley and Cillian McGowan putting the Ballinrobe defence under constant serious pressure with every kick into the Ballinrobe half. 

Great chasing and follow up by wing Malachy Glover ensured two turnovers. The first ended with the ball in strong tackling centre Rory Connaughton’s hands who dived over in the corner for Carrick’s deserved second try.   Two quick tries in the next seven minutes by Seamus McGuire and Kopczynski took the wind completely out of Ballinrobe’s sails. 

Carrick rang the changes with a series of substitutions in the last quarter  with Theo Gately,  John  Mulvanerty and John Boyd, Eli Mulligan, Timothy Tansey, Rory McNabola and Ryan McGarry all coming on as Carrick  finished with a flourish.  Gately made two telling runs that ended with McGowan offloading the ball to the Kopczynski for his hat trick. The last act saw out half Foley  snipe in on the left blindside for a try. 

Kenny Murtagh presenting a set of jerseys to the Carrick RFC U18.5 team. (From left) Vice-captains Jack Deegan & Diarmuid O’Connell; Kenny Murtagh and captain Gerard Murtagh

Team: Oran Oates, Jude Kennedy, Paudi Gilligan, Ryan Moran, Noel Dowd, Seamus McGuire, John Mee, Krystian Kopczynski, Ben McGarry, Jack Foley, ,Rory Connauhton, Cillian McGowan, Malachy Glover, Solomon Gleeson , John Mulvanerty, John Boyd, Timothy Tansey, Theo Gately, Eli Mulligan, Luke Sharkey, Ryan McGarry, Rory McNabola, Cavan McGourty

U13: Carrick RFCs U13 Boys travelled to Headford on Sunday and came come with a 57-0 victory in their last league game of 2023. Much like their win a week ago against Claremorris Colts, playing in gale force conditions meant that the boys had to play a game of two different halves. Playing with the wind in the first half, Carrick and strong ball carrying by Carrick’s forwards lead to the first try of the match.

Carrick soon scored their second try from a well worked backline play from the scrum to the blind side. Two further tries came from broken play and brilliant individual running. Three conversions saw Carrick leading 0-28 at half time.

Corrib got quick off the mark in the second half with a brilliant individual run that nearly ended up under the post, only to be stopped with a try saving tackle. Carrick had to work hard against the wind, but their good balance between playing with the forwards and pwith the backssaw Carrick gaining ground on their opposition swiftly. Whilst Corrib fought to the end, they left too many questions unanswered and conceded a further five tries in the second half to make the final score 0-57.

Dave Mahon of Connacht Bottlers presenting shorts and socks to the Carrick on Shannon RFC U18.5 team. (From left) Gerard Murtagh, Dave Mahon, Jack Deegan & Diarmuid O’Connell

In a “must win” game, this was the team performance that this team and bench needed to produce. Tactically their best game of the season. Subject to decisions over weather affected games, this Carrick squad may yet qualify for the Connacht Semi Finals of the U15 League – it would be a fitting reward for all the effort and hard work of the last few months. Next game, hopefully, against Gort after the Christmas break.

Diarmaid O'Connell: The Club again extend our congratulations to Diarmaid on being selected for the Irish Schools Training Squad.

Connacht School A League Final: There were nine players from Carrick on Shannon that featured in Sligo Grammar College's squad that drew 22 all against Marist College. All the Grammar tries were scored by Carrick players namely Dara Holmes, Jack Deegan, Liam McNamee and Gerard Murtagh.