Loughrea RFC – Rugby Round-Up – 15th September

Loughrea Rugby Round-up 15th September 2024

U18.5 Boys

The weekend kicked off with the U18.5 boys’ clash against Galwegians at Ballygasty. With the U18s set to launch their league campaign against Tuam/Dunmore next weekend, this fixture served as their final prep match. Despite chilly, dry conditions and a slippery pitch, the first half was a nail-biter, ending with the score locked at 5-5. Loughrea seized control in the second half, pulling away with two more tries, one of which was converted, pushing the score to 17-5. Galwegians managed a late try, but it wasn’t enough, and Loughrea emerged victorious. Connor Spellman, Heshan Gedara, and Diarmuid MacCarthy were the try scorers, with a special mention to the U17s who stepped up and made a solid impact.

Girls Rugby

Saturday saw the Loughrea girls’ teams making waves across the country. The U12s took center stage at the halftime interval of the Ireland vs. Australia Women’s international, representing Connacht and Loughrea against Shannon. Meanwhile, the U16 girls traveled to Carrick-on-Shannon for their first league fixture of the season. They overcame a spirited Carrick team with a 35-17 win, thanks to a standout performance from Amy Moran, who notched two tries and landed all five conversions. Ally Cannon, Julie Earls, and Grainne Brady also crossed the line. Kudos to last year’s U14 players making their debut in the U16 ranks and contributing impressively.

U14 Boys

Back in Loughrea, the U14 boys saw their league match against Ballinasloe canceled. In response, the coaches arranged a friendly against Galway Bay, which Loughrea won decisively 57-0. Conor Brady was the star of the show, scoring three tries and kicking six conversions, while Jack Corban, Eoin Casey, Keith Casey, and Matt Jankowski also crossed the try line.

Senior Team

Finally, the Senior team’s Curley Cup fixture against OLBC was conceded by the opposition. This opened the door for an intra-club training match under the lights at Ballygasty, featuring Loughrea Possibles versus Loughrea Probables. With this win, Loughrea Seniors advance to the Curley Cup plate semi-final, eagerly awaiting to discover their next opponents.