Loughrea RFC – Rugby Round Up – 6th October
A very busy week for the Loughrea teams, with a mid-week and weekend fixture for the u14 girls and a bumper weekend of home fixtures down at Ballygasty!
Loughrea Senior Team
The Loughrea Senior team kicked off their league campaign with a thrilling home victory over Carrick-On-Shannon in front of a large and enthusiastic crowd of local supporters. Played in ideal conditions, the game was a physical and fiercely contested battle, with hard hits and intense competition for possession throughout.
Loughrea worked hard for their first-half tries, building a solid lead, but Carrick-On-Shannon mounted a strong second-half comeback. Despite the pressure, Loughrea held firm, securing a bonus-point win with a final score of 26-22.
Player-of-the-match Sean Sweeney delivered a standout performance, helping his team hold off Carrick’s late surge.
U14 Girls Purple
The Loughrea U14 girls (Purple) team hosted Gort/Monivea at Ballygasty on Wednesday evening in a non-competitive league fixture. Representing schools such as St. Bridget’s, Raphael’s, Kilchreest NS, Bullaun NS, Gaelscoil Riabhach, and St. Ita’s, the Loughrea girls showcased an impressive display of running and offloading rugby. Máire Cáit Uí Ghréacháin led the charge with a standout performance, scoring three tries and adding three conversions. Additional tries from Aoibhinn Starr, Evie Dolan, Elise O’Slattara, and Roisin Burke rounded off a dominant 41-12 victory for the home side.
U14 Girls Yellow
Loughrea Yellow faced off against Westport in their second league fixture on Sunday morning at Ballygasty. The two teams were evenly matched, with Loughrea holding a narrow 19-10 lead at halftime, thanks to tries from Aoibhinn Starr and Roisin Burke, along with a penalty try and a conversion by Máire Cáit Uí Ghréacháin.
The girls from Loughrea did themselves proud with their efforts, and the whole team stood up to produce really strong performances.
In the second half, Westport mounted a strong comeback, crossing the line for three tries. However, Loughrea responded with a crucial try and conversion from Uí Ghréacháin. In a tense finish, the Loughrea girls dug deep to secure a thrilling 26-25 victory by the narrowest of margins.
U15 Boys
In a match that was far tighter than the final score suggests, the U15 clash between Buccaneers and Loughrea was a tale of two halves. Buccaneers raced ahead early, putting Loughrea on the back foot. However, the resilient Loughrea squad roared back to life after halftime with quick tries from Oisin Cogavin and Jake Marjanovic, pulling the score to within striking distance. Despite their relentless second-half pressure, Buccaneers held firm to secure the win. Loughrea’s much-improved performance, though not reflected in the scoreline, showcased their latent potential and promise for future fixtures.
U17 Boys
Loughrea U17 boys kicked off their league campaign with a challenging home fixture against a well-drilled Carrick-on-Shannon side. Despite a determined effort from the hosts, Carrick’s strength and cohesion proved too much, as Loughrea fell 31-5 in ideal playing conditions. Conor Fallon crossed the line to score Loughrea’s lone try in a spirited display.
U18.5 Boys
The Loughrea U18.5 boys delivered a dominant performance in their second league fixture, overcoming neighbors Ballinasloe 50-14 in front of a large home crowd. Loughrea’s forwards rose to the challenge against a formidable Ballinasloe pack, neutralizing their impact and creating opportunities for the backs to exploit.
The final scoreline doesn’t fully reflect Ballinasloe’s efforts as they fought hard and remained competitive throughout the match. However, their defense couldn’t contain Loughrea’s relentless attack. Standout performances came from Diarmuid Mac Carthaigh, Aidan Headd, and captain Connor Spellman, who all played pivotal roles in securing the impressive victory.
Loughrea travel to Corrib next weekend for their league encounter. Corrib have not played in the league yet this year, and this will be their first fixture.
Ballygasty, Loughrea, Co. Galway H62AP03
