Today marked the start of the U18.5 Boys Cup competition and our 2nd place league finish rewarded us with a Quarter Final draw, away to Corinthians RFC, never a happy hunting ground for us. The first half started well for Westport with winger Brendon Witzl’s first try, ably converted by U17 flyhalf stand-in Liam Cadden.
The rest of the half was a tit for tat battle between well matched sides with the hosts scoring next without conversion to make it 5 -7 to Westport and then followed by a bruising forwards carry over the tryline by team captain Alan Gannon, again converted 5-14. Corinthians scored next with a well orchestrated try 12- 14. The half finished out with another converted Witzl try and a Corinthians penalty and try bringing the half time score to 20 - 21 to the Port.
The measured halftime talk was all about focus for the half to come as Corinthians were going to up the ante and throw everything they had at Westport and throw everything they did…….
But a brilliant defensive effort was what took all by surprise, as not only did the Port go on to score two more tries by Brendon Witzl and Ross O’Coonor, they met their foe at midfield, the 22 the 10 and only once let them sniff the try line to hold them up.
As intense a display as you will see from a youth squad on a fine spring day, rewarded by a home semi-final v Loughrea in 2 weeks, only to be outshone by our brilliant, worthy and talented U18 Girls with their so well deserved Connacht Cup title.
Maith sibh a bhuachaillà agus comhghairdeas lenár gcailÃnÃ.
