Lansdowne maintain promotion challange

THOMOND coach Pat Cross asked for a special effort from his players last Saturday and they responded with a display that was laced with courage and spirit.

The shadow of dropping to division three still hovers over the north city club and their final two games against Wanderers and Bective Rangers, both at home, may yet hold the key to their fate. League leaders Lansdowne may have come to Fitzgerald Park with their eyes set on a possible five pointer but it was soon clear that this AIB All-Ireland League division two battle was going to be fought out right to the final whistle.

Thomond, aided by the breeze in the opening half, took the game to the Dublin side right from the kick-off and after three minutes it appeared from the sideline that a Declan Cusack drop goal effort had given the royal blues a three point lead. Referee Kerr was better positioned and ruled that the ball had shaved the outside of the posts.

Three minutes later Thomond got a second chance to go in front. The lively Tom Clifford burst clear from a ruck from which Lansdowne were penalised for killing the ball but Cusack sent the kickable penalty wide.

It was ten minutes before Lansdowne got their hands on the ball in the home half. Thomond survived a series of attacks but conceded a scrum on their own 22 when a restart went dead at the other end. Lansdowne used their superior pack to control the ball from a series of rucks and scrums and when Tom Clifford tackled from an offside position, left winger Charl Oostheiven put the league leaders 3-0 in front after 15 minutes. Declan Cusack began to find his range with lengthy clearances and he set up a possible scoring chance for Thomond on 22 minutes only for the home side to lose their own lineout throw 15 metres from the try line.

A great turnover by Brian Buckley and a 30 metre break by right winger Brandon Grant revived Thomond hopes. Lansdowne open side flanker Trevor Conneeley was on the wrong side of the resultant ruck and conceded the penalty but Cusack pulled the kick badly to the left.

Thomond certainly deserved a score at this stage and three minutes later got what was to be their final attempt at the posts with Declan Cusack’s effort from a very difficult angle missing the target.

The home side’s inability to take their own lineout ball was costly. Too often they threw to the back when targeting two or four would have been a less risky option. Just on the stroke of half time Lansdowne got a chance to increase their lead but Charl Oosthuitzen pulled his kick wide of the right hand post.

The winger made amends three minutes after the break when he extended the visitors’ lead to 6-0 from a close-in penalty and with Lansdowne far superior in most areas of the field, heroics were required from Thomond to try and hold onto the losing bonus point.

It was almost endless pressure on the blues’ defence and there was temporary respite when another brilliant break by Brian Buckley gave his side their first footing of the second half in opposing territory.

The Thomond pack drove into the Lansdowne 22 only to concede a silly penalty. That was as close as Pat Cross’s side got to getting on the scoreboard. Lansdowne closed the game down, using the wind cleverly and stretching the defence with some fluent running rugby.

The pressure eventually reaped reward with Thomond whistled for going offside in front of their own posts and Oosthuizen deprived the home side of the bonus point that they certainly deserved.

“It’s disappointing that we did not

hold out for a losing bonus point, but in fairness to Lansdowne they were the better side,” Thomond coach Pat Cross said after the game.

“I am very proud of our lads. Every one of them played their heart out and the manner in which we protected our try line showed the spirit that is in this side.”

Thomond’s next game is a visit to Rosbrien to meet local rivals Old Crescent next Saturday week.

“That promises to be another tough one for us, but we will give it our best shot,” promised the Thomond coach.

The royal blues have survived relegation over the past two seasons and on this performance they look capable of another Houdini act.

Thomond: M O’Halloran; B Grant, H O’Neill, W Kelly, D O’Neill; DCusack, A Hartery (K O’Mahoney 75); T Clifford (A Airey, 64) A O’Donnell (M Long, 66) E Fraher; J Ryan, D O’Connell; B Buckley (C Liston 59), S Bourke, J Sheehan.

Lansdowne: R McCarron; J Meagher, L Kavanagh, G Stafford, C Oosthuizen; D Hewitt, B O’Riordan; C Murphy, R Quinn, D O’Reilly (C Clear 65); A Maher (R Liebermann t,) E Sheriff; W Earl, T Conneeley (R Liebermann 57), A Cullen (Ron Boucher 74).

Referee, Richard Kerr, UAR.

Yellow card, Roman Liebermann,

Lansdowne; Michael O’Halloran, Thomond.

Scorers: Lansdowne, Charl Oostheizen, three penalties.