Living on a Prayer
By Jester
December 10 2006
First thing first. When I volunteered for this report I didn’t think I’d be writing up one of the most exciting, pulsating & enjoyable games it’s been my pleasure to witness in my three seasons of following the boys.
December 10 2006
First thing first. When I volunteered for this report I didn’t think I’d be writing up one of the most exciting, pulsating & enjoyable games it’s been my pleasure to witness in my three seasons of following the boys.
My match experience started with meeting a mate at the 3G’s for a quiet pre-match pint. Hmmm….. 15 minutes to get served, just like being at the MadStad really. So in order to get a pint & a seat we adjourned to Hobgoblin & then a quick jump on the bus to the stadium. I bumped into Bisach at the LISC tent & he called the day perfectly. I thought we’d struggle, he said it would all be down to the defence, how right he was.
The bars were heaving as you’d expect for the first competitive meeting between the two clubs, & for the first time in an age there was long queue outside the megastore, was Digger in their signing his photographs or something? If he was he must have got locked in as he was conspicuous by his absence for the match!
This report comes from the South stand, an area I’ve frequented a few times now. Other than the horrendous queues at the bar & the scrum to go & empty your bladder I’m beginning to warm to the different view you get head on to the game.
From the off it was evident that the boys were up for it, the blitz defence started from the first minute & I for one can’t remember a tackle of any importance being missed. To the cries of “Stand Up for the Ulster” boys the men in white showed they too were up for the game in the early stages. I noted the first two lines outs looking dodgy for our guys with pressure being put on the receivers. The first score went to Ulster with a penalty on 13 minutes, not sure what the offence was from my angle. Next came two tries that we’d been threatening to put together from the kick off. First up was JML latching on to a superb offload from Mapusua (Has he been taught how to pass now?) & diving over the correct whitewash. Shane added the extras with ease. The second try was a piece of beauty when viewed head on. Shane chipped ahead & Catty volleyed forward towards the line, at this point his arms were in the air, praying for the ball to bounce kindly, it did & he was under the post. Shane had no problems with the kick. 14 – 3 after 20 minutes.
There then followed what could have been a double for JML. From an attacking scrum he produced a wonderful back row move & dived, swan like for the line! The wrong line……… it appeared to me that he got confused, don’t they play soccer in Argentina?
Time & again Ulster found themselves with no space to work with, Humphries boot appeared to be the only way of gaining yards. A second penalty was converted on 35minutes to reduce the deficit to 14-6. The one time that Ulster did find space to run they were stopped unceremoniously by Delon’s outstretched arm, a clearer yellow I’ve yet to see. With the man advantage Ulster pressured the Irish line with the clock running down. Bish followed Delon with a yellow moments later, I couldn’t see why from where I was, but I’ve been reliably informed that it was for a deliberate trip, whilst lying on the ground. The inevitable gaps appeared in the Irish defence. Ulster moved the ball with more purpose & Paul Steinmetz exploited the thin line to score under the post. A comfortable conversion by Humphries meant a half time score of 14-13.
I’ve no idea if there was any half time entertainment as I fought my way past the queues for the bar for a well earned drag!
The question in my mind was would Irish be able to hold out for the first 7 minutes with only 13 men on the pitch? Well they did & they were magnificent. Collins & Coetzee came on to help the ball retention. The only scoring chance Ulster had during their period of numerical advantage was a long range pen by Humphries which drifted wide. Irish brought on Phil Murphy & then to a huge cheer Faan making a welcome return. The Ulster pack must have really enjoyed the sight of Faan trotting up to them when they were trying to gain some control.
On 60 minutes Mr Geraghty capped his day by selling an audacious dummy & skipping through to touch down under the posts, 21 -13 with the two. It was at this point that the Ulster lads sat around me started to leave the ground in dribs & drabs, trying to catch an early flight? Barry replaced Catt & made the game dead on 79 minutes with a penalty to increase the lead to 24-13. The dribs & drabs, became a whole scale evacuation at this point. Shame really, they missed the best try of the game. Delon & Sailosi combined down the west side of the pitch with Sailosi flying to the corner to finish the scoring for the day. 29-13. Now I wonder if my boss will let me take the day off on Friday?
The official man of the match was Catt, however from what I saw there could be honourable mentions in dispatches for all of the other guys, a real team effort & just what we need to kick start the season.
The bars were heaving as you’d expect for the first competitive meeting between the two clubs, & for the first time in an age there was long queue outside the megastore, was Digger in their signing his photographs or something? If he was he must have got locked in as he was conspicuous by his absence for the match!
This report comes from the South stand, an area I’ve frequented a few times now. Other than the horrendous queues at the bar & the scrum to go & empty your bladder I’m beginning to warm to the different view you get head on to the game.
From the off it was evident that the boys were up for it, the blitz defence started from the first minute & I for one can’t remember a tackle of any importance being missed. To the cries of “Stand Up for the Ulster” boys the men in white showed they too were up for the game in the early stages. I noted the first two lines outs looking dodgy for our guys with pressure being put on the receivers. The first score went to Ulster with a penalty on 13 minutes, not sure what the offence was from my angle. Next came two tries that we’d been threatening to put together from the kick off. First up was JML latching on to a superb offload from Mapusua (Has he been taught how to pass now?) & diving over the correct whitewash. Shane added the extras with ease. The second try was a piece of beauty when viewed head on. Shane chipped ahead & Catty volleyed forward towards the line, at this point his arms were in the air, praying for the ball to bounce kindly, it did & he was under the post. Shane had no problems with the kick. 14 – 3 after 20 minutes.
There then followed what could have been a double for JML. From an attacking scrum he produced a wonderful back row move & dived, swan like for the line! The wrong line……… it appeared to me that he got confused, don’t they play soccer in Argentina?
Time & again Ulster found themselves with no space to work with, Humphries boot appeared to be the only way of gaining yards. A second penalty was converted on 35minutes to reduce the deficit to 14-6. The one time that Ulster did find space to run they were stopped unceremoniously by Delon’s outstretched arm, a clearer yellow I’ve yet to see. With the man advantage Ulster pressured the Irish line with the clock running down. Bish followed Delon with a yellow moments later, I couldn’t see why from where I was, but I’ve been reliably informed that it was for a deliberate trip, whilst lying on the ground. The inevitable gaps appeared in the Irish defence. Ulster moved the ball with more purpose & Paul Steinmetz exploited the thin line to score under the post. A comfortable conversion by Humphries meant a half time score of 14-13.
I’ve no idea if there was any half time entertainment as I fought my way past the queues for the bar for a well earned drag!
The question in my mind was would Irish be able to hold out for the first 7 minutes with only 13 men on the pitch? Well they did & they were magnificent. Collins & Coetzee came on to help the ball retention. The only scoring chance Ulster had during their period of numerical advantage was a long range pen by Humphries which drifted wide. Irish brought on Phil Murphy & then to a huge cheer Faan making a welcome return. The Ulster pack must have really enjoyed the sight of Faan trotting up to them when they were trying to gain some control.
On 60 minutes Mr Geraghty capped his day by selling an audacious dummy & skipping through to touch down under the posts, 21 -13 with the two. It was at this point that the Ulster lads sat around me started to leave the ground in dribs & drabs, trying to catch an early flight? Barry replaced Catt & made the game dead on 79 minutes with a penalty to increase the lead to 24-13. The dribs & drabs, became a whole scale evacuation at this point. Shame really, they missed the best try of the game. Delon & Sailosi combined down the west side of the pitch with Sailosi flying to the corner to finish the scoring for the day. 29-13. Now I wonder if my boss will let me take the day off on Friday?
The official man of the match was Catt, however from what I saw there could be honourable mentions in dispatches for all of the other guys, a real team effort & just what we need to kick start the season.
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