LETTERKENNY RFC GOT their season off to a losing start against BHSFP (Belfast High School Former Pupils) on Saturday.
BHSFP (Belfast High School Former Pupils) 43-7 Letterkenny RFC
Letterkenny started poorly in their first league encounter of the season with some lack-lustre defending and found themselves camped inside their own 22.
Photo caption:Â Letterkenny 1st XV Captain Terence Gallagher and Coach Colin Farrell
After a while the Letterkenny team gained a foothold in the game and the strength of the Letterkenny scrum gave them the platform to bring play into the Belfast half. From scrum pressure Letterkenny were awarded a penalty which unfortunately went unconverted.
The Letterkenny forwards were starting to get into the game but too often the ball was turned over through lack of support and out wide too many basic handling errors were being made. In contrast the Belfast side looked to get the ball wide at every opportunity and found gaps in the Letterkenny defence from which they established good field position.
From a period of pressure a BHSFP forward crashed over the line but was prevented from scoring by Gary Canning with some excellent defensive work. From the resultant scrum the Letterkenny back row defence was found wanting and the no.8 opened the scoring with an unconverted try.
The Letterkenny response was immediate and following some excellent line out work marshalled superbly by Conor Dunleavy were inside the home 22 looking to even the scores. BHSFP were forced to concede a penalty underneath the posts. The chance to kick the three points was spurned in favour of the tap and go but very quickly the ball was intercepted and the home side kicked straight down the pitch to safety.
The clearance kick wasn’t dealt with well and another turnover conceded which led to the second try of the game after another three phases.
The Letterkenny side responded positively again and after good pressure at both the set piece and the breakdown were winning penalties from which Ryan Mortimer was kicking them into good field positions.
Excellent work again at the scrum by the Letterkenny No 8 forced a turnover at the base of the home sides scrum deep inside their 22 only to see possession gifted back to the opposition who duly went wide and the length of the field for a converted try.
The Belfast side ended the first half by scoring their fourth try, a carbon copy of the first try but from 30 metres out.
The second half continued in much the same vein as the first and Letterkenny had some good periods of pressure but too often their Achilles heel was handling errors and failing to give the ball carrier enough support.
The loss of back rower Ciaran Clarke with a  hand injury midway through the half didn’t help and BHSFP added a further four tries all of which were initiated from distance or turnovers.
The Letterkenny side finished the stronger and even with only seven forwards captain Terence Gallagher went on one of his trademark gallops off the base of the scrum and made it to within 5m of the line. The forwards took it on again and Dunleavy barged over to touch down and mark an industrious afternoon for the big second rower. Mortimer added the extras to leave the final score 43-7.
The team will have to shake themselves down and regroup for the league visit of Newry to Dave Gallaher Park this Saturday at 2.30pm.
