Buccs make it five wins on the trot

The ""young Buccs"" made it five from five on Saturday, with a good win against a much fancied Cork Con side at Dubarry Park. Buccs lined out with four changes to the team that beat Highfield the previous week. Conor Molloy came back onto the wing in place of the injured Billy Henshaw, David Fagan moved to the opposite flank to accommodate John O"Brien at full-back. In the pack Conor Higgins came in at tight head and Trevor Thompson moved to the middle of the front row with Dave Egan making way. Cork Con laid down the challenge in the opening ten minutes to the home side, moving the ball well straight from the off, leaving the home side to defend with their lives. However, Con had to settle with a drop goal in front of the posts as the Buccs defence never looked like leaking a five pointer. This then spurred the Buccs into action 32 minutes in. After turning over a ruck just outside the Con 22-metre line, the ball was moved from Adam Kennedy to out-half John Connellan, who then hit the flying John O"Brien who showed why he is a regular for the senior side and a Irish U20 squad member by ghosting by the Con defenders and giving a reverse flick pass to David Fagan, who has shown a real knack for try scoring this season. Adam Kennedy failed to convert from the 5 metre line on the right hand side. Buccs then took a five point lead after 32 minutes when Con were penalised for an infringement at a ruck and Kennedy knocked over a close range penalty. On the stroke of half-time, Con were penalised for being off-side at a ruck and Kennedy stepped up again to knock over a close range penalty. This left the score line 11-3 to the Buccs at the interval. Con started the second half well and won a close range penalty when Buccs were deemed to be over the top at ruck time. Ex-Irish schools international Simon Zebo stepped up and slotted the kick from in front of the home side"s posts. With the score line now 11-6 Bucc" spurred themselves into action and after bombarding the visitors line for a 5 minute spell, Tullamore native Paul Robinson picked and went off the back off a scrum and, from the resulting ruck, Kennedy popped to Conor Higgins, who carried just short off the line, Kennedy was on hand again to dish a trademark reverse pass to the ever supporting Kevin Creaven. This is Creaven"s third season on the Buccs squad and he"s giving good leadership and experience to a young squad. Kennedy failed to convert the very kickable conversion. This left the score at 16-6 midway through the second half. Con applied some huge pressure through Zebo and the big number 8 Tim Dukelow but again the home side"s try line could not be breeched and Con had to be content with a penalty kick by Zebo for all their efforts. The scoreline finished at 16-9, best on the day for Buccs were Kennedy and O"Brien in the backs, with good defensive efforts by Draper and Walshe in the centre, while in the pack Craven, Headd and Thompson were immense. Buccs have to again improve in the coming weeks as they have three tough tests over the next three weeks. Starting next week at home to Bruff on Saturday at 2.30. All support much welcomed. Buccaneers: J O"Brien, D Fagan, C Draper, R Walshe, C Molloy, J Connellan, A Kennedy, N Harney, T Thompson, C Higgins, K Headd, R Byrne, S O"Neill, K Creaven, P Robinson. D Egan for Harney 5 mins; L Doran for R Byrne 70 mins.