Creggs RFC 30, Corrib RFC 21.

Creggs Under-18.5’s have made it through to the Connacht Plate final after a thrilling game in Creggs last Sunday morning, on a scoreline of 30-21.

Played in perfect conditions for running rugby, it was Creggs who got the better start with some great carries from James Murray, Ben Johnson and Miquel Arthur brought Creggs into the 22.

The ball was recycled quickly by Cormac Dolan, who fed Lee Kilcoynes, and his long pass found Ciaran Purcell who raced to get in the corner for a 5-0 lead.

It was then that the bigger Corrib pack started to take a bit of control and a series of penalties against Creggs gave the visitors field position and they profited with two converted tries for a 14-5 lead.

Creggs then started alert themselves, moving the ball well and gaining more control. Another great break from Jack Fleming fed Mark Kilcommons who scored and DJ Hession converted to reduce the deficit to 14-12.

Creggs got in again just before half time when Jack Fleming score to give the home side a 19-14 half time lead.

In the second half Creggs were playing against a stiff breeze and kept the ball in hand as much as possible and fed the wings where Conor Betts, Senan Lambe, Patrick Charles and Ryan Conlon on their introduction kept the visitors back in their half and some heavy carries from Mossy Tiernan, Michael Hoe, with excellent work in the set piece from Cormac Hoare, gave Creggs some great possession.

DJ Hession stretcted the Creggs lead with a 15th minute penalty before Ciaran Purcell again crossed the white wash to stretch the lead to 27-14.

Corrib now needed the next score and were using their big forwards but excellent defence from Darragh Gilligan, Noah Fallon, Aindriu Oates and Lee Kilcoyne held the visitors up over the line on two occasions. However, they eventually did breach the Creggs line to reduce the deficit to 27-21.

Again Creggs went back on the attack, and when Edimar Fimho made the break, the Corrib defence were penalsied at the breakdown and up stepped DJ Hession to stretch the lead out to two scores with time running out.

Corrib did try to break the Creggs defence in the last five minutes but the Creggs lads held out well to qualify for the Connacht Final on the weekend of April 24th.