Swords were no match for rampant Rathdrum
RATHDRUM 36 SWORDS 0
Wednesday March 10 2010
RATHDRUM GOT back into winning ways after a spell of injuries and weather enforced layoffs caused disruption to their progress in the Super Six league campaign. 'Drum took on Swords at home in perfect conditions at the Ivy Leaf and took the game to the visitors from the off and forced a penalty on half way which they opted to kick for the line out.
A clean take by Barry Sheehan was taken into a good driving maul and was only halted when Swords were forced to take it down. With the referee playing advantage the home side whipped the ball wide for winger Jack Dunne to cross in the corner for a well taken try which was converted from the touchline by Conor Parsons to open their account at 7-0.
Swords upped their game for a period but were well contained and Rathdrum reasserted themselves and with a series of pick and go drives got close to the Swords line.
Hooker Neill Short was stopped just shy of the line but scrum half Andrew Kenny was on hand to pick and dive over for the second try of the afternoon and with Parsons adding the extra the score advanced to 14-0. Shortly after the restart 'Drum were awarded a scrum on the half way line and with the home side committed to open rugby the ball was quickly moved wide with full back Parsons coming into the line on the angle to beat two defenders and cross under the posts and easily convert to leave the half time score 21-0 and Rathdrum in control.
Swords started the second period well but agressive first up tackles by Rathdrum forced mistakes from the visitors. One such error led to a scrum to the Wicklow men and again the ball went quickly through the hands with the full back coming into the line and a flat pass from centre Shane Burch beat two Swords men for pace for his second try the score now 26-0 and the bonus point secured.
Swords continued to press forward but were well marshalled by the home side and from a turnover Coner Parsons made an initial break and linked with with Ian Snell in support to keep the momentum going Snell found substitute winger Brian Burke who set up a ruck and from the recycle scrum half Kenny broke on the blind side with twenty metres to the line but broke three tackles to score his second duly converted by Parsons the score now stood at 33-0.
Swords threw everything into attack in the dying minutes and camped on the Rathdrum line, but again were turned over by a hard working pack. The ball was flicked out to flying winger Dunne to sprint the length of the field for his second try of the match to leave the final score 38-0 and a comprehensive win for the home side.
Rathdrum host Wexford next weekend which will be a tougher test but in this kind of form another win could be on the cards.
