Published: Wednesday, 27th January, 2010 4:58pm
Pointless visit for Wanderers
by Fergal LynchNavan 14, Wanderers 6
Action from Saturday's All-Ireland League Div 3 clash at Balreask Old between Navan and Wanderers as John Duffy goes high to claim possession with the help of David King.
Pic by==: 97
Such is the confidence coursing through Balreask Old at the moment that when even the biggest names in Irish rugby come visiting they are no longer as feared as they might once have been.
Wanderers may not be the force they used to be, but they travelled to Navan with a fierce reputation and a hunger to return to where they once ruled. However, they found their hosts in the process of developing a force of a different kind and it was Navan who emerged with the All-Ireland League Div 3 victory on Saturday.
In an error-strewn game with countless knock-ons and basic handling errors it was obvious from an early stage that this tie was not going to be a score-fest. Instead, it was one moment of sheer brilliance and pure genius that provided the platform for Navan's fully deserved victory.
The only try of the game was the result of that superb piece of skill and the man to supply it was Karl Manning. The score was majestic and came after an opening 30 minutes that saw both sides launch garryowen after garryowen. One such up-and-under from the visiting out-half Michael Boland was well fielded by Mark Harrington, but the rest was all down to Manning.
Harrington off-loaded possession to the lightning fast full-back and after evading a few lunging tackles with nimble footwork in midfield he turned on the afterburners and left the Wanderers defence trailing in his wake as he burst into the corner for as good a try that would grace any Heineken Cup match.
Ryan Roberts missed the difficult conversion, but Manning's outstanding score put Navan 8-3 ahead and in the driving seat and they never looked back.
The eight-point winning margin doesn't do justice to how much Navan dominated and the fact that Wanderers were still within one score, trailing 6-11, in injury-time is testament to the Dublin side's outstanding defence.
However, as an attacking threat Wanderers were non-existent. All Navan had to do was remain disciplined inside their own half and ensure that Boland didn't get too many pots at the posts - they managed that superbly.
While Manning's try was the winning of the game, it was the superb work rate and outstanding discipline that ensured Navan were not breached. To a man they defended with their lives and while Wanderers were limited in their attacking options, they were still mobile enough up front to cause problems.
What Wanderers enjoyed with a mobile pack, they lacked in the scrum as Navan dominated almost every huddle. The visitors were very strong at the line-out, but in every other sector Navan were vastly superior. The only disappointment was that they didn't get in for more tries, but credit for that must go to the Wanderers defence.
As the heavy fog failed to lift around Balreask Old the lights were turned on, but it was the visitors who got off to the brighter start with Boland nailing a penalty from a difficult position on the 22 after Navan were penalised at the scrum.
Navan piled forward looking to take advantage of their superiority, but several excellent moves were ended by poor handling before Wanderers were penalised for not releasing in the ruck on 23 minute.
Roberts slotted the penalty between the posts to level matters.
Manning ensured an 8-3 interval lead with his moment of magic, but after the break Wanderers came out with all guns blazing. An attempted pass from Brad Harris to Johnny Duffy was intercepted by Victor Ball and the leggy lock raced forward before off-loading to Boland. He was stopped illegally and from the penalty Wanderers were off target.
That let-off failed to inspire Navan as Wanderers continued to press from impressive line-out play, but when Michael Keavany was sin-binned in the 53rd minute for deliberately knocking-on, it allowed Roberts stretch Navan's lead to 11-3.
With 20 minutes remaining Wanderers closed to within a try when Boland punished Navan for straying offside and three minutes later he could have closed the gap even tighter when David King was penalised for pulling down a scrum on halfway. Boland's kick was short and wide of the target.
Roberts was also wayward from a difficult penalty attempt with 10 minutes left, but victory was assured in the 80th minute mark when Wanderers were penalised again after Keavany failed to release in a ruck. This time Roberts made no mistake to secure the win and ensure Navan move further away from the drop zone.
Navan - K Manning, D Geraghty, S Hogan, J Davis, M Harrington, R Roberts, D Delahunt; E King, C Brady, D King, B Harris, J Duffy, P Feeney, T Clarke, L Jackson. Subs - T Geraghty for Harrington, K Mattson for Delahunt, D Crinion for HarrisJ McCaghy for Brady.
Wanderers - M O'Malley, C Dalton, D O'Keeffe, P Burke, S Robertson, M Boland, D Fitzgerald; I Eustace, A McMahon, H Tea, M Keavany, V Ball, E Nihill, P Rowe, R Feighery.
Referee - Ed Kenny (Leinster Branch).
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