Loughrea U16s Claim First League Win with Gritty, Composed Display
Hard work and dedication were finally rewarded as the Loughrea boys U16s recorded their first league win of the season with a deserved 25–19 victory over Ballinrobe in an absorbing contest.
From the opening whistle, Loughrea set the tone with stern defence and ferocious tackling across the park. The pack laid strong foundations early on, with lineouts expertly marshalled by Sean Callanan and Caelan Murphy, and powerful mauls led by Richie Kennedy consistently gaining ground. That platform allowed half-backs Colm Maloney and Oisín Quinn to dictate proceedings, moving Ballinrobe around and probing for openings.
The pressure told after 13 minutes when Jake Marjanovic burst through the Ballinrobe defensive line to touch down in the corner for the game’s opening try. The contest then ebbed and flowed, with both sides trading strong phases of play. Ballinrobe struck back with two quick tries inside four minutes to swing the momentum their way, but Loughrea showed impressive composure.
Refusing to panic, Loughrea dug deep and finished the half camped inside the Ballinrobe 22. Their persistence paid off when a forced error was pounced upon by Adam Shaughnessy, who powered over for Loughrea’s second try. Ryan Reynolds added the conversion to level the scores at 12–12 heading into the break.
The opening exchanges of the second half were evenly matched, with both teams putting in workmanlike performances. Flynn Miller led by example in defence with a tackling masterclass, while Sean Robinson carried tirelessly from inside centre. The back three also put in a huge defensive shift, covering ground and shutting down space.
Ballinrobe edged back in front midway through the half with a converted try, but Loughrea responded in style just four minutes later. A sharp break saw Adam Shaughnessy claim his second try of the afternoon, reigniting belief throughout the team. Moments later, a clever breakaway kick chase from Oisín Quinn earned a penalty, calmly slotted by Ryan Reynolds to put Loughrea three points clear.
From there, Loughrea never looked back. A dominant display from the forwards sucked in the Ballinrobe defence, creating space out wide. That space was ruthlessly exploited when Jake Marjanovic produced a brilliant solo run to grab his second try and Loughrea’s fourth, sealing a memorable and thoroughly deserved victory.
Full-time: Loughrea 25 – Ballinrobe 19
A hugely encouraging performance, full of grit, teamwork and belief — and a win that shows just how much this group is progressing.
Battling Loughrea Push Galwegians All the Way in Physical u14 Boys Contest
Loughrea made the trip to Galwegians on Sunday morning and, despite a hugely committed performance, came up against a very strong home side who eventually ran out 24–12 winners in a fiercely physical and competitive encounter.
From the outset, Loughrea showed excellent organisation, tackling and teamwork, playing the bulk of the structured rugby throughout the contest. Galwegians, by contrast, were often forced to rely on individual moments of quality as both defences dominated the opening exchanges.
The first half was a tense, evenly balanced affair with little to separate the sides. Clear chances were at a premium and every inch was hard-earned. It wasn’t until the 23rd minute that the deadlock was broken, when Galwegians’ No.14 crossed under the posts following sustained pressure, with their out-half adding the conversion. Shortly afterwards, a swift break saw their dangerous No.11 finish unconverted in the corner, giving the hosts a 12–0 advantage at the interval.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with both teams locked in a bruising battle up front. Loughrea were rewarded for their persistence on 31 minutes when No.8 Shay Gallagher powered over the line for a well-deserved try. Despite a strong wind, Antoni Jakuboszczak produced an excellent conversion to narrow the gap and swing momentum back towards the visitors.
Galwegians responded with renewed intensity, striking with further tries on the 35th and 40th minutes, one of which was converted, to reassert their lead. To Loughrea’s credit, heads never dropped. The visitors continued to compete fiercely right to the final whistle and were rewarded once more on 58 minutes when Shay Gallagher crossed for his second try of the morning, a fitting end to another tireless performance.
While the result went Galwegians’ way, this was a display full of grit, discipline and togetherness from Loughrea, with many positives to take as the squad continues to develop.
Full-time: Galwegians 24 – Loughrea 12
Ballygasty, Loughrea, Co. Galway H62AP03
