Cill Dara cruise past Portlaoise to maintain perfect start
Cill Dara's hat-trick hero, George Twigley, chases down Portlaoise's Will Reilly during Sunday's Leinster League clash at Silken Thomas Park. Photo: Martin Rowe.
Cill Dara's perfect start to the season continued on Sunday afternoon thanks to a barnstorming second half that saw them pick up the bonus-point victory over Portlaoise in Silken Thomas Park.
Cill Dara kicked off the new season with bonus-point wins over both New Ross and Newbridge, while Portlaoise lost away to North Kildare in the opening round of fixtures before getting back on track with a bonus-point win at home to Roscrea last time out. But Cill Dara have now made it three wins from three - all with bonus points - as they remain top of the division.
Portlaoise began on the front foot, with a couple of early penalties giving them the field position to launch an attack. Cill Dara held firm, however, and broke free thanks to a trademark charge forward from the excellent Adam Meehan. The hosts won a couple of penalties in the Portlaoise 22 and forced their way right to the line, only to be held up at the crucial moment.
But it was only a temporary reprieve, as Cill Dara gathered the drop out and raced back into the left-hand corner, where Meehan sent George Twigley in for the opening try after 12 minutes. The wind took Rory Conway's conversion attempt as it remained 5-0.
Portlaoise looked to hit back immediately, but they were turned over in the Cill Dara 22 as the home side again displayed tremendous defensive resolve.
The visitors then lost a scrum against the head, allowing Cill Dara to launch another attack, kicking for touch before winning the lineout and mauling their way to the Portlaoise 22 where captain Conor Smyth broke away to release William Doran in the corner for a great team try. Conway's conversion was successful, despite the difficult angle, to move his side 12-0 in front.
Cill Dara almost added a third try moments later, but Portlaoise survived and broke free through some excellent chasing from their tenacious scrum half, Jake Byrne.
Another penalty for the visitors allowed them to kick to the corner just after the half-hour mark. Michael Rigney claimed the resulting lineout as they mauled towards the line, only to be stopped illegally. Portlaoise chose to tap the penalty and go through a few phases right in front of the line, with Liam Doyle burrowing over beside the post. Will Reilly landed his first kick off the tee to close the gap to five points.
Another scrum won against the head by Cill Dara sucked all the momentum out of Portlaoise, who suddenly found themselves defending their 22 again just before half time. But they got to the break without conceding as the scoreboard read 12-7 to the hosts.
Cill Dara needed just five minutes of the second half to extend their lead with a sensational sweeping move releasing Meehan out wide, who id enough to get the ball to Twigley in the corner for his second try of the afternoon. Conway added the extras with a superb effort from out on the sideline.
Portlaoise responded immediately, however, scoring a pair of tries within the next five minutes. Fly half, Will Reilly was first to cross they whitewash, receiving the ball out wide and racing down the line to score in the left-hand corner.
The visitors gathered the restart and set about attacking the line again, with winger, Cullen Kirwan finding a gap out wide and showing the Cill Dara defence a clean pair of heels before going over in the opposite corner. Reilly missed the previous conversation but made this one to draw the sides level at 19 points apiece.
The home side recovered well and regained the lead within five minutes, taking Portlaoise through the phases before Stephen Walsh powered over from close range to guarantee the bonus point. Conway's conversion put seven between the teams once more.
Cill Dara looked to press their advantage and went in for a fifth try midway through the half, with Walsh again powering over from close range as Portlaoise had no repellant for the big replacement lock. Conway converted again and suddenly itb was a long way back for Portlaoise.
Any hope of a revival for the visitors was put to bed in the 70th minute, all stemming from yet another demolition at scrum time, with that man George Twigley racing away and into the corner for a sensational finish to complete his hat-trick.
Portlaoise went in search of a try that would at least give them the consolation of a bonus point, but they were caught on the counter-attack as Conway broke through the middle to cross for a try under the posts. He left the kicking duties to his scrum half this time, with Pete McDermott adding the extras to bring the game to an end.
Cill Dara are on the road next Saturday when they visit Clondalkin, with the Dublin side bottom of the table and yet to record a win.
Paddy McGrath; William Doran (1 try), Rory Conway (1 try, 4 cons), George Twigley (3 tries), Adam Meehan; Sean Behan, Pete McDermot (1 con); DJ Branock, Aaron Kane, Conor McCormack; Chris Walsh, Conor Smyth; Chris Cousins, Colin Moloney, JJ McIllwrath.
Jack O'Neill Stephen Walsh (2 tries), CJ Corcoran, Ross Dooley, James O'Loughlin.
Jack Darcy; Cullen Kirwan (1 try), Cormac Rigney, Matthew Coonan, Ciaran O'Brien-McCormack; Will Reilly (1 try, 2 cons), Jake Byrne; Aron Coiley, Ryan McEvoy, Paddy Coss; Michael Rigney, Daragh Townsend; Liam Doyle (1 try), Ronan Donlon, Mike Russell.
Conor Deegan, Dan Breen, Glen Connolly, Mark Kelly, Joe Carroll.
Maxime du Pradel.
