News

Corinthians 20 - 18 Suttonians

November 7, 2018

Corinthians got off to a flying start in Saturdays game beginning with a block down by Cian Begley on Suttonians ten metre line followed a quick pass to Wayne Williams who broke through the visitors back line to score. Centre Wayne Williams converted with all this occurring after only three minutes of play. Suttonians did not take long to get on the score board either, driving with their forwards and taking on the home side pack who eventually conceded a penalty which was converted by out half Tyrone Taiepa leaving the score 7 points to 3 favouring the home side. Midway through the first half No. 8 Aurelian Casanova picked at the base of the scrum then made some ground before passing to centre Cian Begley who off loaded to fullback Darren Classens. He had still some work to do with his opposite Paddy McGuire bearing down on him but a beautiful chip by Classens rounded the fullback to collect the ball for a touchdown. Wayne Williams missed the convert leaving the score 12-3. The home side put the visitors under more pressure after Suttonians No. 6 Finbarr Dowling was sin binned and Wayne Williams converted the resulting penalty.
At this stage Corinthians seemed to be in full control and with half time beckoning leading 15 to 3, a bonus point win looked a mere formality. Suttonians had other ideas and put the home side under pressure from the drop off and a series of mistakes let Suttonians back in the game allowing the visitors to be awarded a penalty which was converted by Tyrone Taiepa. Suttonians again drove down at the Corinthian pack and put the home side’s goal line under siege with scrum half Tommy Campbell getting the ball out wide to centre Alan Dodd to score a fine try after the home side back line were caught napping. Tyrone Taiepa missed the convert with the score at half time 15-11.
The second half was a dour affair with both packs staging it out in the middle of the pitch. The break came for the home side eventually with veteran scrum half Mick Roche throwing out a long ball to substitute out half Kenny Diffenthal who passed to Dave Murphy to get a beautiful touch down. Kenny Diffenthal missed the convert with this leaving the home side leading by 20 -11.
The visitors did not give up sending their pack driving forward with wing forwards John Fagan and Finbarr Dowling to the fore. Great tackling by centre Cian Begley and rampant hooker Dave Barden kept the visitors out. Eventually the visitors broke through with their substitute scrum half Vincent Patton doing the donkey work and with big No. 5 George Flynn getting the touchdown which was in turn converted by Tyrone Taiepa leaving the score 20 to 18. Suttonians had an opportunity to win the game in injury time with their pack setting up a good ball for out half Taiepa to go for the drop goal which he kicked just to the left of the post which was a great relief to the home side supporters. In the end Corinthians were fortunate with the victory and Captain Pat Cunningham has a lot of work to do with his team in the coming week which has been decimated with injuries. They travel to Portadown next weekend with a late kick off of 17.00.
Galway Corinthians RFC. Darren Classens, Richie Forbes, Wayne Williams (Ronnie Ferguson), Cian Begley, Dave Murphy, Mark O’Boyle (Kenny Diffenthal), Michael Roche, Dave Lillis, Dave Barden, Dave Small (Gary Ward), Pat Cunningham (Captain), Seamus Murphy, Aurelian Casanova, Sean Geraghty, Barry McCann (Tadhg Linnane)