The SDSS Devils found themselves in tough against a very strong Ashbourne U-18 side in its second game on tour. The Ashbourne team had recently clinched it’s local league title and their skill and togetherness were evident throughout the game.
The eventual score was 48-0 to the home team. However, that did not really do justice to the spirit and tenacity of the Devils defending against a highly skillful and well drilled Ashbourne team. Unfortunately, the team that was scheduled to play our second squad cancelled only days before the fixture and the organizers were unable to find a replacement team. However, the coaches were able to rotate all the players into the game as they did in the first game against Malahide. And the team didn’t miss a beat as all the players were rotated in
The boys agreed that this was an educational experience. Some might say a “schooling”. But this group who have been playing together in both rugby and Gaelic football since they were 11 were a well oiled machine. The scrum half / fly half connection was wonderful to watch and the fly half had moves that left the proverbial jockstrap around one’s ankles.
But what these lads had down to an art was the rolling maul. The best we have come against or seen so far. At one point they rolled over 20 yards and no one knew who had the ball and we tackled several players only to look up and see a lad lying in our end with the ball down for the try. So we will be practicing this for attack and developing defending techniques beginning tomorrow.
Ashbourne: Who hasn’t played rugby and been on the sticky end of a score like that!? Ashbourne must have played textbook rugby and given what we understand about that Club and the -18 team I think the Devils did admirably. Onwards!