Lansdowne J4 made the short trip to Railway Union with hopes of completing a J2, J3, and J4 hat-trick of victories - and they didn’t disappoint. However, the game got off to a cautious start. According to new coach Barry Lawlor, “No score after 20 minutes, but Lansdowne were clearly on top.” Despite dominating possession and territory, Lansdowne couldn't break through for almost half an hour.

The breakthrough finally came when scrum-half Rory Durand found space on the blindside, darting down the wing and finishing the move with a try in the corner. Although the conversion attempt was too far out, Lansdowne took a 5-0 lead.

Once the deadlock was broken, more points soon followed. On 35 minutes, Director of Junior Rugby, Kevin O’Connor described how Lansdowne’s direct play “softened up the opposition, before some slick handling saw the ball move wide through Wolfie(?) and Eoin Doherty. A clever cross-field chip from outhalf Rob Troy landed perfectly for winger Barry Richardson, who finished the move for a lovely try.” Thus they extended Lansdowne’s lead to 0 -10.

As halftime approached, Lansdowne capitalized again on some patient, clever hands to push the ball wide, exploiting space out there to score another try just before the break. And so, Lansdowne entered halftime with a comfortable 17-point lead.

Fuelled by halftime refreshments, both sides returned to the field with renewed determination. However, it was Lansdowne who came out the sharper. It didn’t take long for the scoreboard to light up again in Lansdowne's favour. One of the Under 20 players who had joined the Junior ranks, Luke Andrews Walsh, marked his debut with a try shortly after the restart, stretching the lead to 0 - 24. He must  have enjoyed the experience, because soon after he followed it with another, 0 -31. The score prompted a jubilant cheer from the Director of Junior Rugby Kevin, who shouted, "Up with youth!"

Despite the growing deficit, the hosts at Railway Union never stopped fighting. Their efforts were rewarded as they broke through for an excellent try as the game entered the final quarter, narrowing the margin to 31-7.

Lansdowne, however, remained in control. Perhaps inspired by his fellow Under 20 teammate’s earlier tries, another U20 youngster, James McNamee, stepped up to score next, pushing the lead further to 38-7. 

As the game neared its conclusion, Lansdowne’s dominance continued, with winger Eoin Doherty sealing the result in injury time with the final try of the match.

The whistle blew with Lansdowne victorious, the final score Railway Union 7 - 45 Lansdown