Brave Buccs surprise league leaders in lively cup encounter

BUCCANEERS came from behind three times to record a rare but fully merited 20-18 AIB Cup victory over league leaders Clontarf in an entertaining and very exciting game played in ideal conditions at Dubarry Park, Athlone, on Saturday. Although missing a handful of regulars, this was a stirring and heartening display by a battling home outfit against the hitherto all-conquering Dublin side as Buccs refused to wilt, constantly endeavoured to take the game to the visitors and, then in the somewhat lengthy closing minutes, showed wonderful composure and character to keep possession and control. The midlanders, with Connacht on 'mid-term break' and their U-20 duo of Conor Higgins and John O"Brien also unavailable due to an Ireland squad session the following day, were much-depleted, but welcomed back Conor O"Loughlin in place of the injured Mark Bruce while Alan Gaughan made a quicker than expected return after a minor operation. Sean Carey made a first start of the season and Paul Harte also returned after injury while Anthony Hughes was the only change in the pack. Clontarf fielded a fairly settled side captained by Daragh O"Shea with Adrian Clarke starting in the front row. Buccaneers forced the early pace but in Clontarf"s first real attack on nine minutes, the homesters were penalised for not rolling away and O"Shea had no problem opening the scoring with the resultant penalty. But this did not deter the midlanders with Harte testing the visitors" defence with a break on the left, before Buccaneers made the breakthrough on the opposite flank where Adrian Hanley carved out an inviting gap for a 15th minute try which Gaughan converted for a 7-3 lead. Although Buccs" penalty count on this occasion was just one-third of the number conceded at Shannon, they gave O"Shea another placekick three minutes later but the full-back"s penalty was always drifting wide of the target. Referee David Wilkinson was the best official Buccs have played under this season but he harshly - and incorrectly - deemed Gaughan"s attempt to intercept near halfway as deliberate and this interpretation gave the Dubliners a platform to build on that ultimately led to Peter O"Brien"s 23rd minute drop goal. Clontarf were now going the better at this stage and they took the lead just three minutes later when, following some fine interplay, Ben Reilly surged over for a try on the left which O"Shea could not convert. Gaughan was just short with a long 32nd minute penalty before promising work by Kolo Kiripati and Simon Rolleston was undone by a below par O"Loughlin kick. As the action ebbed and flowed, Harte made another threatening break that was tidied up by Peter O"Brien, while Hughes shortly afterwards lacked swift support after he broke from the tail of a lineout. Just before half-time, a teasing Phil Howard grubber kick forced Niall O"Hara into touch inside the home 22, but there was no further scoring before the break at which stage Clontarf led 11-7. Buccs lost Alamoti TePou (who had enjoyed a good first half) with an Achilles problem at the interval, young Brendan McManus coming on for the second period which started in flying fashion. Firstly, Marcus Madden linked up with O"Loughlin whose sniping run wrong-footed the "Tarf cover and Kiripati thundered down the left wing for a splendid 42nd minute try which Gaughan converted excellently from near the touchline. But the homesters went off their feet from the restart and when Hanley knocked on O"Shea"s short penalty in front of the posts, Clontarf promptly discommoded their hosts by spreading the ball from the scrum to the right where ex-Bucc Niall O"Brien used his strength to crash through for a 45th minute try which O"Shea did well to convert from out wide to retake the lead at 18-14. Buccs soon forced a five metre scrum for which they introduced Garreth Halligan and Michael Diffley but, although decent possession was secured, Rolleston"s drop goal attempt was disappointingly poor. However, Clontarf were caught coming in from the side after 55 minutes and Gaughan narrowed the arrears to just a single point with his penalty kick. Clontarf replied with a series of trademark drives but O"Shea spoiled their hard work with a poor chip. Sean Brady replaced the tiring O"Loughlin on 66 minutes with Gaughan switching to scrum-half. Gaughan, regaining the placekicking form of last season, then thumped over an excellent 73rd minute penalty from the left close to the ten-metre line - a super kick to edge Buccaneers 20-18 ahead. The midlanders now took a leaf out of the Munster guidebook to put the ball up their collective jerseys and control possession in the opposition territory until the somewhat extended period of added time elapsed. Here they showed great composure and self belief in doing unto Clontarf what they are normally pass masters at doing! This was a hugely encouraging and sustained effort by Buccaneers and was a welcome return to the form and promise of their opening two league matches. Patterns are now beginning to emerge and the spirit and discipline was generally very good. O"Loughlin, in his first start since last February, did very well particularly his linking with Kiripati, who was at his rumbustious best. Kevin Moran put in another solid contribution but the dynamic Kieran O"Gorman proved a worthy winner of the "OYSTERhomes Man of the Match" award. Carey (another returning after a long layoff) and Harte always threatened in possession while the crucial importance of consistent placekicking was demonstrated by Gaughan"s 80 per cent return as Buccs upset the odds. Howard and Paul O"Donohue were top-class for Clontarf, for whom Simon Crawford and Ben Focas toiled ceaselessly in the forwards battle. Buccaneers have again been favoured with a home draw in the last sixteen when they get a chance to redeem themselves against U.L. Bohemian on January 10. BUCCANEERS: N.O"Hara (capt.); P.Harte, A.Gaughan, A.Hayman, S.Carey; S.Rolleston, C.O"Loughlin; B.Gilligan, M.Madden, K.Moran; A.Hughes, A.TePou; K.Kiripati, K.O"Gorman and A.Hanley. Replacements used: B.McManus (for TePou, h-t), G.Halligan (for Madden, 49 mins). M.Diffley (for Gilligan, 49), S.Brady (for O"Loughlin, 66) and B.Gilligan (for Moran, 83). CLONTARF: D.O"Shea (capt.); M.Rantz-McDonald, P.Howard, B.O"Donnell, N.O"Brien; P.O"Brien, P.O"Donohue; A.Clarke, N.Carson, N.Treston; B.Reilly, S.Crawford; H.Stride, B.Focas and M.Garvey. Replacements used: M.Dufficy (for P.O"Brien, 58 mins), A.Dundon (for Carson, 68) and D.Lambert (for Clarke, 80). REFEREE: David Wilkinson (Ulster).