Lansdowne needed to follow their two recent wins in the Bateman Cup and against league leaders St Marys with another at home on Sunday, but City of Armagh were starting their own party, celebrating 150 years, and dearly wanted to spoil ours with a win here. And they made it very difficult for us, but eventually we prevailed in a solid, if not spectacular performance. Our plans to return to the top four remain very much alive.

Armagh’s eagerness was evident in the early minutes, when they came close getting some points on the board, but they were too keen and spilled the ball. Our scrum was immediately dominant with props George Morris and Greg McGrath laying down an early marker and we exit. Their lineout follows and another scrum soon after and again we send them backwards, but it wasn’t until the third triumphant scrum in a row that ref George Clancy rewards our pack. The lineout inside their half starts a phase of dominant and patient phase play from Lansdowne, but even from a scrum under their posts, we fail to penetrate. Eventually, a wide pass inside their 10 meter line is intercepted and their winger sprints back down the pitch inside our 22, only a heroic covering tackle from ever-busy hooker Jack Treanor prevents a try.

We claw our way back up the pitch where we belong, in spite of another wayward wide pass - why do people keep doing that? - and resume our attack from within their 22. This time it’s direct running through the middle from number 8 Donough Lawlor and flanker Liam Molony that eats up the visitors’ territory and an excellent attack is finished off by outhalf Stephen Madigan, who steps in to scrum half position and takes the ball from a ruck to sprint over the line. 5-0 as the conversion attempt comes off the upright and the first quarter comes to an end.

The Armagh lads work their way back into our danger zone from the restart, but excellent covering defence from Donough and captain Jack Cooke wins a relieving penalty under our posts and we exit with a sigh of relief. Back on the offensive now and we resume our patient probing with our reward coming within ten minutes. The ball comes out of a ruck in the middle of the pitch inside their 22 and Stephen Madigan, as always, bravely holds up the pass and takes the inevitable thump, before popping the ball to full back Cillian Redmond who runs a perfect line and charges the last 15 metres over the line. 12-0

Again, Armagh come out on attack straight from the restart. We’re back on our line, but we concede a penalty allowing them to put the ball in the corner for a 10m lineout and their number 8 Neil Faloon scores from the maul that follows. His brother, their full back Kyle gets the conversion and it’s 12-7. And with a scoreline that flatters the visitors slightly, we go into half time.

The flattery continues well into the restart as we enjoy much of the possession and territory and Armagh even concede one, then a second yellow card. But the second half is half an hour old before the scoreboard budges as Stephen gets a penalty. 15-7 The bench starts to bring fresh tempo to matters and flanker Barry Fitzpatrick has an immediate impact. Sub scrum half, Jack Matthews is also busy and his enterprise is rewarded with an excellent sniping run and he touches down under the posts inside the last ten minutes. Stephen converts 22-7.

Now minds are turning to the magic four try bonus point and in our eagerness to get it, we leave some gaps, especially out wide. Their outhalf spots one on the half way and kicks speculatively across the pitch to their winger who runs the distance over the line and cuts inside for his kicker, who gratefully converts, 22-14. Full time.

Not a spectacular day at the office, but a very effective one. We’ll take the momentum of another win to Castle Avenue for Clontarf next week and keep the party going.
See you all there!

Match Report - Brian Whelan