Portlaoise Rugby Club News

This Weeks Matches

Leinster League

Sunday 11th March:
Portlaoise 1st’s are away to Clondalkin 1st’s in a league match. Match starts at 3:00pm.
Portlaoise 2nd’s are away to Clondalkin 2nd’s in a league match. Match starts at 1:30pm.

Portlaoise RFC Youths Report

Portlaoise Under 14’s to contest Leinster Under 14 League Final
Portlaoise U14  37  Gorey U14  0

Portlaoise u14’s continued their unbeaten record this season with a 37 to nil win over Gorey in Cill Dara on Saturday in the Semi Final of the Leinster Under 14 League Semi- Final, and now look forward to a Leinster league Final against Carlow in three weeks time.

Gorey who the previous weekend were on the wrong side of a 67 to 5 defeat to Portlaoise, started very strongly and tested Portlaoise defensive abilities. The Portlaoise defence held back phase after phase with Theo Kavanagh, Cormac Joyce and Danny Ward to the fore in breaking down the attack. This defensive pressure was working for Portlaosie who forced a knock on in side their own 10 meter line and were awarded the scrum. This set piece was the first opportunity for Portlaoise to attack the Gorey line and a training ground move off the back by Jack Reddin and Sean Masterson cut the Gorey defence open and Sean Masterson put down under the Gorey posts against the run of play. The conversion by Robert Brown was successful and Portlaoise lead by seven after twenty minutes.

From the re-start Portlaosie took possession and a great move up the wing by Max Connolly set Portlaoise ten meters out from the Gorey line. The Portlaoise pack of Niall Gleeson, Peter Coss, Mark Camphusen & Cormac Joyce slowed the ball down and picked and jammed around the side and eventually Cormac Joyce scored under the posts to leave it thirteen to nil in favour of Portlaoise at half time.

Portlaoise started the second half very strongly and the introduction of Aron Coughlan at scrum half helped release the back line and Jack Reddin, Sean Masterson, Lee Davis and Robert Brown moved the ball wide time after time and opened up the Gorey defence. Portlaoise continued to pile on the pressure and a much improved second half performance saw tries from, Theo Kavanagh, Aron Coughlan, Lee Davis and Niall Gleeson. Gorey were unable to live with this new level of intensity and Portlaosie finished up comfortable winners at 37 to no score.

Whilst this was a very difficult game from the start for Portlaoise, who started without regulars, Scrum-half Aron Coughlan, Prop Sean Hennessy and Flanker Jack O Hara due to injuries, the strength in depth of the panel was evident in the performance of the replacements and the manner in which they slotted in and ensured the team was not weakened.

Team. Danny Ward, Peter Coss, Niall Gleeson, Mark Camphusen, Cormac Joyce, Gavin Fitzpatrick, Fionn Kirwan, Theo Kavanagh, John Kavanagh, Jack Reddin, Max Connolly, Sean Masterson, Lee Davis, Robert Brown & David Connolly. Aron Coughlan, Matthew Cremin, Maddy Owens, Seth Tilsen, Joe Conroy, Jack O Hara.

Youths Results