Blackrock break Navan hearts - again
Ray Moloney's side put up brave battle but ultimately fall short
The Navan players could be forgiven if they felt this week like they never wanted to see sight or light of Blackrock College's blue and white hooped jerseys again. Never.
Earlier this season Navan played the famous Dublin club in their own backyard in the AIL Div 2A. They raced into a 20-0 interval lead. The prospects of success looked more than promising but the wheels subsequently fell off and they ended up losing out by a point, 25-26.
On Saturday at Balreask Old it was Navan's turn to be the hosts and once more they raced into an early lead only to lose their way and suffer a 10-point defeat (21-31) with not even the meagre compensation of a bonus point to take the unremitting sting from the defeat.
This was a high quality encounter, full of full-blooded, attacking rugby, the texture of the playing underlining how the modern oval-ball game is so much better than the former times when teams were rewarded for being conservative and defensive. Now there are rich rewards for any team who show enterprise and adventure. The harsh truth from a Navan perspective in this is game is that Blackrock College showed more of those qualities and prevailed.
Granted Navan weren't helped by a red card shown to Evan Dixon on 75 minutes. It came after he went for a tackle but clashed heads with a Blackrock opponent. It was a hard call on the home player because he didn't intend to bang into his opponent, of course not, it was an accidential clash, but the rules of the modern game puts a huge emphasis on the tackler to get the angles right.
At the time of Dixon's dismissal Navan led 21-17 and were looking liked they could hold out, if not add to their tally. It was no coincidence that after the dismissal Navan conceded two converted tries and ultimately the game with Blackrock's fourth and final touchdown scored deep into injury time.
One brief sequence of events in the opening half encapsulated in so many ways how this contest turned out for Navan. Ahead 10-7 Navan with almost 30 minutes played Navan won a line out close to the Blackrock tryline. They opted to go long with the throw but it didn't work out and Blackrock won the ball kicked it downfield. Rory Gordon won the ball but was swallowed up. The ball was turned over and Blackrock worked a fine try finished by Paul McSweeney, converted by their unerring kicker Peter Quirke.
From a strong attacking position Navan were reduced, in an instant, to trying to prevent a try which ultimately proved futile. At this level unforced errors can be ruthlessly exposed by the good teams and Blackrock are one of the better sides in this division.
Another blow for Navan was the forced withdrawal of out-half Mark Farrell with a leg injury in the second-half. He was kicking very well up to then. He had got the scoring underway with a penalty early on. On 16 minutes Navan scored a fine, controlled try, moving the ball, through the phases before Ryan Healy powered over. Farrell converted. Blackrock hit back with tries from Niall Hardiman and McSweeney, both converted by Quirke.
The action ebbed and flowed, the play switching from one end to the other.
The home team's second try came just before the interval and was arguably their best score of the game, the fleet-footed Leandro Ramirez finishing off a swift-passing move in the corner. The conversion attempt was missed but at the break Navan led 15-14.
If anything the quality of the game increased further in the second-half. The hits were hard and relentless with home players like Leon Akopian, Jordan Finney, Hardus Van Eeden, Ben McEntagart, Eoghan Noonan, David Clarke certainly putting in their fair share of tackles.
All the Navan players grafted hard but they couldn't shake off the the 'Rock with Quirke tagging on three more points for them from a penalty.
Gordon showed real nerve and courage when he fired over from two penalties that were taken from the opposition 10-metre line. They were booming efforts and they helped to edge Navan 21-17 in front with 68 minutes on the clock. Then, shortly afterwards, Dixon was red-carded and Navan lost a key player. The late converted tries from Chris Rolland and Ross Barry sealed the deal - and Navan's fate.
Blackrock College once again (just as they had done earlier in the season) hit back when it looked like the Balreask Old boys might prevail. Such is the cruelty of sport.
Navan - Rory Gordon, Paddy Fox, Leandro Ramirez, Ben McEntagart, Riaan Van Der Vyver, Ben Stephens, Mark Farrell; Ryan Healy, David Clarke, Liam Carroll, Eoghan Noonan, Jordan Finney, Leon Akopian, Conor Farrell, Hardus Van Eeden. Subs - Gary Faulkner, Leigh Jackson, Conor Ryan, Evan Dixon, Harry Hester, Liam McAree.
Blackrock College - Brian Colclough, Hugo Godson Treacy, Matty Dwan, Dave McCarthy, Chris Rolland, Peter Quirke, Mark Edwards; Paul McSweeney, Niall Haridman, Joe Byrne, Hugh Doyle, Roy Whelan, James Burke, Dave Fortune, Matty Cosgrove. Subs - Steve Judge, Andrew Savage, Josh Dixon, Ross Barron, James Fennelly.
Referee - Paul O'Connor (IRFU).