27th October 2018 – Strabane 2s 19 vs Inishowen 34

Inishowen back to winning ways with strong performance at Strabane

After two narrow defeats on the bounce in the Ulster Regional League West, Inishowen were keen to get their season back on track in their trip to Strabane on Saturday. With several key players back from injury Inishowen fancied their chances on a bitterly cold afternoon.
The sun came out just before kick-off however and Inishowen started well, immediately putting the pressure on the home side. Allan Pienaar burst through in the midfield and took the game right up to the Strabane try line. After several phases of intense pressure, Pienaar got over the line but was judged to have been held up. After the 5-metre scrum Inishowen’s second row Stuart McKeague got over the line but was also held up.
Strabane managed to clear their lines after a few more phases but Inishowen came right back with another big run from Pienaar down the right-hand touchline. A dummy pass and a big hand-off sent him over the line for the first try of the game. Inishowen’s fly-half Ultan Doherty nailed the conversion and the away side led 0-7.
Strabane got no respite and Inishowen kept the pressure on, working their way back down into the Strabane 22. A penalty at the ruck gave Inishowen a chance to stretch their lead and Ultan Doherty stepped up again to land the three points for a 0-10 lead.
The home side struggled to get in the game for the rest of the first half and Inishowen’s defence was rarely troubled. The vast majority of the play was in the Strabane half and Inishowen capitalised just before half time. Several strong phases from the forwards created space for the backs and good heads up play from Ultan Doherty saw him sail through under the posts to give Inishowen a 0-15 lead at the break. It is Doherty’s first season with the senior side and has been sensational in the four games to date and slotting in seamlessly at fly-half.
Strabane managed to get in gear in the early stages of the second half and some good carries through the forwards allowed them to score under the posts in the first five minutes. The home side had some momentum now and came right back into the Inishowen half. However, a fantastic rip in the tackle and a jinking run from Gary McEleney sent Dermot McGonigle tearing away down the left-hand side for a great try in the corner. A complaint from a Strabane player convinced the referee to order McGonigle to remove his full-length leggings, leading to an uncomfortable two minutes for all concerned as the Inishowen captain struggled with his shorts on the side-line.
Ultan Doherty again landed a difficult conversion to put Inishowen 7-22 in front. Strabane came right back again and a few penalties from Inishowen allowed the home side to score in the corner to put the pressure back on, cutting the deficit to ten points.
The pressure didn’t last long, however. A penalty, very well won at the ruck by Richie Fearon, allowed Inishowen to work the ball up the pitch. A few quick phases from the forwards and a fast pass from Gregg Byron allowed Rory Sweeney to sneak under the Strabane tacklers from close range for the bonus point try.
Both sides traded pressure for the next ten minutes, but neither was able to capitalise due to a few soft penalties. However, Inishowen managed to score again through Gary McEleney after another of his trademark swerving runs through the middle of the park.
Ultan Doherty once again landed a good conversion to leave the score at 12-34 and only a few minutes left on the clock, Inishowen now knew they had the game in the bag. They may even have switched off slightly, allowing Strabane to score under the posts.
This couldn’t take the shine off a very strong Inishowen performance however, and the away side travelled back to the peninsula knowing their season was back on track.
Inishowen’s next game is at Moss Road in Carndonagh against their Donegal rivals Ballyshannon. The game will kick off at 14.30pm and all support is welcome.
Inishowen RFC training takes place at 19.30 on Wednesday nights at Carndonagh Community School and all newcomers are welcome to come along.
Ends.
For more information please contact:
John Keyes,
Club Secretary,
Inishowen RFC
087-746-2374
[email protected]