Clondalkin U18s recover from slow start to topple Birr/Roscrea

CLONDALKIN’S Senior U18 Youth Team got their New Year off to a great start with a four-try win over Birr/Roscrea Ravens 28-7 in a Division One at Baldonnel on Saturday.

Conditions were soft underfoot with quite a strong breeze, but it was the visitors who adapted best in the early stages. They showed no signs of fatigue from their long trip and were seven-points up after two minutes.

But this Clon side have started to gel in recent weeks, and they showed no signs of panic.

Although they lost the always lively Jack Campbell to injury in the warm-up, they set about their gameplan and worked hard for each other throughout the match.

Josh Domican slotted into the back row, and it was he who brought the sides level, popping up in midfield to brilliantly finish off a flowing move, set up by half backs Mikey Branigan and Danny Steed, who were both excellent all game.

Liam Redmond slotted the extras and Clon began to find their form.

With a backline featuring players of the quality of Pádraig Downey, Thomas Carter, Dean Farrell, Sam Ryan, Luke Murray, Liam McCusker, and Adam Kelly Kinsella, it was not long before the superior Clondalkin handling began to show and it was centre Oran Murphy, always so hard to pin down, that grabbed the second, Redmond again adding the conversion.

And there was still time in the first half for the forwards to get in on the act with second rows Jack Quinn and Corey O’Byrne menacing throughout while Conor Langabeer, Dylan O’Sullivan, Cillín Walsh Phillips and Josh Apps exerted serious pressure in both defence and attack.

Powerful Number 8 Manny Muritala made a storming break for the line, only to be stopped just short. But Redmond was on hand for the offload to run under the posts, giving himself a straightforward conversion.

In the second half, Ravens came out with real purpose but some tough tackling from the likes of Jake Dunphy, Cian Mannion, James Sweeney, Shane Cleary, Jack Daly and Liam Goodwin meant that Clon did not concede another point for the remainder of the game.

And the fourth try was like the third, with Murphy going on another trademark break only to be stopped short. But a wonderful offload to Redmond, saw the latter dot down and bring his personal points tally to sixteen for the day. Ryan added the extra two.

CLONDALKIN SQUAD: Josh Apps, Michael Branigan, Jack Campbell, Thomas Carter Shane Cleary, Jack Daly, Josh Domican Pádraig Downey, Jake Dunphy, Dean Farrell Liam Goodwin, Adam Kelly Kinsella, Conor Langabeer, Cian Mannion, Liam McCusker, Manny Muritala Oran Murphy, Luke Murray, Corey O’Byrne, Dylan O’Sullivan, Jack Quinn, Liam Redmond Sam Ryan, Daniel Steed, James Sweeney, Cillín Walsh Philipskre Malikarjuna, Ricky Skelton.