A one constant in fixtures between Naas and Old Wesley in the Energia All-Ireland League Division 1B is that they are high scoring and extremely close affairs. Naas bucked that trend last Saturday in Donnybrook, as although the game saw no less than 77 points scored, it certainly was not close, with Old Wesley having no answers in trying to contain the rampant visitors. Straight from the off there was a pace and flair about the Naas play that cut Wesley apart at will, with their forwards supplying an ample supply of ball for the backs who ran riot.
Naas got off to a great start and were in front after just three minutes. Some quick passing by the backs moved the ball wide left to Jack Sheridan, who ducked under an attempted tackle before racing clear to score. The lead was increased after 13 minutes. When Eoin Walsh passed to Paddy Taylor just inside the Wesley half there did not appear to be a lot on for the Naas player, but a great sidestep left two defenders in his wake before he rounded Tom Larke for a sublime try. With Peter Osborne converting both scores Naas led by 14 points to nil.
Both sides exchanged penalties – Ian Cassidy after 15 minutes and Peter Osborne on 19 minutes – before Naas scored a third try with 25 minutes played. From a scrum on the Wesley 22 the ball was moved into midfield to Jack Sheridan, who put in a deft grubber behind the defence, before gathering and scoring beside the posts. Peter Osborne was again on the mark with the conversion, to make it 24-3 to Naas.
Wesley did reduce the gap after 31 minutes, when a quick tap penalty caught the Naas defence unawares and led to Alex Molloy scoring a try that Ian Cassidy was unable to convert, but the visitors responded with a fourth try after 37 minutes – securing a try bonus point into the bargain. Again it came from a Naas scrum – this time on the ten metre line. From it Cormac King moved the ball to Paddy Taylor and his lovely, soft pass found Charlie Sheridan who took it on a great line, spitting the Wesley defence apart, before racing away to score under the posts. The conversion by Peter Osborne made it 31-8 to Naas.
To their credit Wesley responded with a fine try of their own just on half-time, when Charlie Meagher made a good break, before passing inside to the supporting Willem Johnstone who finished off the move. Ian Cassidy was again off the mark with the conversion attempt, to leave the score when referee Henry Richmond blew the half-time score: Old Wesley 13 – Naas 31.
The home side needed a fast start to the second period to have any chance, and they got just that with a try after 44 minutes. From a line-out they set up a driving maul that powered over the Naas line, with Kieran O’Shea being awarded the try. Ian Cassidy did convert this score to reduce the margin to 11 points.
However Naas continued to dominate and came close to adding to their lead on a number of occasions, particularly so on 52 minutes when Jack Sheridan got over the line but was unable to ground the ball. Then five minutes later Charlie Sheridan put in a chip ahead for his brother Jack to chase, but the ball just went over the dead-ball line before being touched down, with the Wesley defence well beaten.
But this was only delaying the inevitable, and Naas finally put the game out of the reach of Wesley after 66 minutes. Great hands by the visiting backs created an overlap out wide right, with Donal Conroy taking the final pass before sliding in at the corner. Although Peter Osborne narrowly missed the conversion, he only had to wait two minutes before having another attempt after another try by Conroy. This time a loose Wesley pass was hacked forward by Paddy Taylor, and Conroy showed blistering pace to win the foot race to the loose ball, which he gathered before racing around the back of the posts for another try. Peter Osborne tapped over the conversion to leave the score 43-20 to Naas.
The visitors were now rampant and a bewildered Wesley side simply had no answers. On 74 minutes a crossfield kick by Bryan Croke was gathered by Jack Sheridan, who passed inside to his brother Charlie, who raced away for a seventh Naas try, before on the stroke of full-time a Naas ruck drove Wesley off the ball, a long pass by Adam Deay found Jack Sheridan out wide, he passed it on to Paddy Taylor who finished off the try scoring for the day. Peter Osborne converted both scores, to leave Naas emphatic winners by 57-20.
This was a brilliant display by Naas. Wesley went into this match lying in fourth place in the league, but they simply had no answer to a visiting side that tore them apart and left them shell shocked after the eighty minutes. Indeed Wesley were unlucky to have faced Naas in this mood, as on the day the visitors would have been a match for any club side in the country. Next up for Naas is a home fixture after Shannon on March 22nd. Kick-off is at 2.30pm and as always all support will be greatly appreciated.
Old Wesley: Tom Larke, Sam Burns, Alex Molloy, Eoin Deegan, Eoin Murphy, Ian Cassidy, Willem Johnstone, Adam Watchhorn, Kieran O’Shea, Evin Coyle, Reuben Pim (capt), David Motyer, Charlie Meagher, Gavin Meagher, Will Fay. Replacements: Rian Handley, Rory Duggan, Oisin Linnane, Fergus Jemphrey, Adam O’Connor, Charlie O’Regan.
Naas: Peter Osborne, Donal Conroy, Charlie Sheridan, Paddy Taylor, Jack Sheridan, Bryan Croke (capt), Cormac King, John King, Aidan O’Kane, Adam Deay, James O’Loughlin, Eoin Walsh, Cillian Dempsey, Muiris Cleary, Ryan Casey. Replacements: Francisco Bartorelli, Stephen Lackey, Darragh Murphy, Mikkel Andresen, Derry Lenehan, David O’Sullivan.
