St Senans travelled to Tipperary Town on Sunday last to take on Clanwilliam in the Munster Junior league division. The Clare side came away with the four points after a tightly contested match where the game could have went either way. The Clare side denied the home team a losing bonus point after a strong finish from the boot of Declan Rowe. The final score of 18-26 gives Senans two wins from the first three games in this year’s league.

Senans starting strongly from the kick-off with some good running from the backs but it would be Clanwilliam who would have the first chance to get the scoreboard ticking over with a difficult penalty after 4 minutes. The kick just drifted wide.
Senans pressed with some good forward picking and driving from MJ McDonagh who would go onto have an excellent match in the loose and the tight. The ball swept out from one of these plays to Warren Kelly who found a bit of space, he offloaded to Shane Thompstone who had a bit to do but it looked like he would cross the whitewash for the first try of the game. However some great defence work from the Clanwilliam full back stopped Thompstone just short. Senans were however rewarded with this pressure when after the resulting play they were awarded a penalty on the 10 meter line which Declan Rowe duly converted giving the Clare side a 0-3 lead.
Clanwilliam up their intensity and pressed the Senans defence but great tackling from Senans kept their line intact up until the 21st minute when Clanwilliam stretched the Senans defence and went over for the games first try. The conversion was good and the home side led 7-3.
Senans were the next to strike when after another good scrum in the Senans half the ball was moved quickly through the hands of the back lending up out wide to full back Warren Kelly who crossed over the Clanwilliam line in the corner. Declan Rowe kicked a perfect conversion from the sideline and the Clare team retook the lead 7-10 .
Senans struck again just on the halftime whistle when Rowe who could do no wrong with the boot converted a penalty from the 22 to give the Clare team a 6 point lead into the break 7-13.
Senans started the second half as the ended the first half and their pressure was rewarded again when Rowe converted another penalty to increase the lead to 7-16.
This seemed to kick start the Tipperary Town sides game and they were rewarded for they good play with a penalty after 9 minutes to reduce the deficit to 6 points again at 10-16.
Clanwilliam didn't rest after the penalty and had a lot of the ball and pressured the Senans line. They were rewarded for their good play with another try after 16 minutes. The conversion was missed and the bare minimum separated the sides at 15-16.
Senans forwards started to get on top at this point with the front row of Paul O’Halloran Fergal Lawlor and Patrick Ryan turning the screw on their Tipperary counterparts. Their superiority in the scrum which had been there for most of the game paid off when after three scrums on the Clanwilliam 5 meter line MJ McDoangh burrowed over for Senans 2nd try of the game, Rowe again used his carteresqe boots to convert and Senans had a 8 point lead going into the last 10 minutes of the game 15-23.
Clan hit back straight from the kick-off and were awarded a penalty which they converted to reduce the lead again to 5 points at 18-23.
The game played between the two 22 yard lines for most of the rest of the game with no side letting the other get on top. Senans however were to have the last say on the game when after winning another scrum against the head the ref awarded them a penalty on 40 minutes. Rowe converted to deny Clanwilliam the losing bonus point and Senans left Tipperary town Smiling all the way back to Clare.
Senans: Patrick Ryan, Fergal Lawlor (capt) , Paul O Halloran, Gearoid Condron, Michael Corbett , Niall Mallon, Neil McDonagh, Ian Fitzgerald, Tom Cronin, Declan Rowe, Fernando Gallant, Declan Collins, Emile Maffiet, Shane Thompstone, Warren Kelly,
Replacements: MJ McDonagh for Condron, Thomas Galvin for N McDonagh, Darragh O’Callaghan for Ryan, Malachi Gavin for Collins, David Webb for Fitzgerald.

Senans have an intense few weeks ahead starting with the visit of Bandon to Shannon on Sunday next in the league.

Match Preview

Match details

Match date

Kickoff

Team Sponsors