Good home form is always a sign that a team is performing well and greatly helps in maintaining league position. This J1 outfit over the last few weeks has started to have a settled look about them and this is being reflected on the field in the results they are achieving. This bonus point win against Old Wesley sends them to the top of the division. The win itself was achieved ultimately in comfortable fashion by a team who have momentum behind them and pack a punch when on form. 

The game began with the prevailing wind on a cold day being in the home teams’ favour in the first half. Lansdowne immediately went on the front foot, and they moved into Old Wesley’s ‘22. There followed a line out throw in from hooker Tim Coyle to Ben Popplewell who threw the ball straight back to Coyle who skilfully outmanoeuvred his opposite number and ran in to score in the corner.

A good start had been achieved and after twelve minutes along came try No.2. This time Wesley was pressing into the Lansdowne half and the ball was being moved across their back line only to be dropped allowing the ball to bounce around. James Kenny at 15 needed no encouragement in kicking the ball through. There followed a foot race between him and the defenders which Kenny was to win as the ball bounced up nicely from the artificial surface into his hands allowing him to score under the posts and with Bohan's conversion brought the scoreline to 12-0.

The conditions were proving to be tricky with both sides guilty of unforced errors. This pattern led to a lull in the game but the J1’s was still dominating possession and territory. They were met with resilient defence from Wesley as the scoreline remained the same. There were also a lot of scrums during this period which suited Wesley because of the conditions and running the clock down. One felt a reasonable lead was required at halftime.

On the 27th minute marker, Lansdowne were awarded a penalty just outside the Wesley 22 and this was slotted over by Tom Bohan to increase the scoreline to 15-0. This play also coincided with the Wesley prop forward receiving a yellow card from the referee meaning that they would be under pressure for the remainder of the half down to fourteen. 

What followed was attack after attack from the J1’s without the scoreline changing. The message from the sideline was to be patient and to build phases and when the gap came to execute. With a couple of minutes to half time, a ruck was formed where the ball was recycled and moved across the Lansdowne back line. The defenders had all been sucked in and they were narrow as a result. This created an overlap and centre Harry Coughlan duly obliged to touch down in the left-hand corner and with the conversion pushed the scoreline out to 22-0 which was much more like it. 

Halftime followed with Wesley restored to fifteen but with a lot of work to do. The message to the J1’s was that they needed to retain possession in the second half, playing against the conditions and to be patient and wait for the openings to come with Wesley having to chase the game. The J1’s opened the second half very well and enjoyed a lot of possession and territory as a result. In fact, I would go as far as saying that they probably performed better in the second half than the first and throughout the half showed what makes them such a difficult team to beat. 

Within ten minutes and after concerted pressure from the J1 forwards the gap widened. The ball was being moved right and then left with valiant defence from Wesley. However, their line was to be breached following good work from replacement scrum half Jack Connolly to snipe in from around a ruck to score close to the left-hand posts 27-0.

Old Wesley, to their credit thereafter enjoyed their best period of the game in terms of territory and possession. After 18 minutes of the second half, in good field position their forwards rumbled forward and several attempts later they managed to score from close in with their tight head prop getting over. The conversion was added and brought the scoreline to 27-7.

The J1’s, as if surprised by the score reacted quickly. They upped the pace and lock Luke O’Connor was responsible for two good carries in quick succession which allowed a ruck to be formed. From the next play the ball was moved across the backline and left-wing Matt Hodgkins who had a lot to do rounded his man and managed to outpace the defender to score in the left-hand corner. At 32-7 the lead was a comfortable one with time beginning to run down on the clock.

The game moved into the last 10 minutes and credit must go to the opponents who applied concerted pressure to the Lansdowne line. Again, there was hugely resolute defence, and training obviously went well in this area of the game as many attacks were repulsed and eventually Old Wesley coughed up a mistake with the ball being turned over and cleared. Satisfying you would say from a coaching perspective and the signs are good going forward with this kind of defence in matches to come where the scoreline is tight.

This was a good performance by this team, and it is hard to single out anyone. As I mentioned earlier, that great AIL warrior Clive Ross played for the J1’s today and was hugely impressive in marshalling and controlling the line out. For the second week in a row both half packs performed very well and if I was to pick someone Tom Bohan would probably shade it as his distribution was excellent and passing out of tackles where he took some big hits was very impressive. 

Also, Luke O'Connor in the forwards had a particularly good second-half and is a great ball carrier. The whole team to include the bench, performed with great credit and it is not fair to be singling out individual players as this was a complete display by a team playing with great confidence.

As I said earlier in this report this win brings them to the top of the league just ahead of the second-place team Terenure. There is also the bonus that Lansdowne have played one game less than a lot of their rivals and they will make up this fixture next weekend against St. Mary's, who are also very much in contention, but suffered a bad loss this weekend stalling their momentum. This fixture will take place on Sunday the 15th of December and promises to be a big game where if the J1’s can prevail it will allow them for the first time this season put a bit of distance between them and the pursuers in this division.