Galway 10-36 Pilkington Recs: Pilks overturn half-time deficit to avoid upset

Steven Hughes 15 Jan 2022 6:13 PM

Pilkington Recs recovered from 10-8 down at half-time to beat Galway Tribesmen 36-10 at Ruskin Drive to earn safe passage into the second round of the Challenge Cup.

Tries in the last 10 minutes of the first half Seosamh McDonagh and Ryan Guilfoyle turned an eight-point deficit into a 10-8 lead at half-time.

But Pilks were able to turn the game around in the second half, with unanswered tries from Jordon Morris, his second, Karl Ingham, Owain Abel and Ian Stanley saw them home.

The Irish side did give a good account of themselves, and were always adventurous with their plays. However, they just fell short in the end.

Match Report

After a tight opening 10 minutes, the NCL side made the breakthrough. Morris was able to get through the gap and score out wide. Kyran Knapper missed the conversion, meaning it was a four-point game.

Straight after the try, Galway went for a short kick-off and got the ball back. But they couldn’t make it count, knocking on late in the set.

Eight minutes later, Pilks scored their second try. They moved the ball well out to the right-hand side and Tyler Duberry was able to score in the corner. Knapper was again off-target with the conversion attempt.

Galway continued to press, and just past the half-hour, they were gifted a way back into the game. McDonagh intercepted a loose pass and was able to outrun the defence to score. Barry Walsh converted to make it just a two-point game.

In the final act of the first half, Galway were able to take the lead. This time it was Guilfoyle who picked up a loose ball on half-way before going all the way to score. Walsh missed the conversion, meaning they lead by ten points to eight at the break.

HT- Galway 10-8 Pilkington Recs

It took Pilks just two minutes into the second half to respond. Morris came onto a short ball and crashed over for his second try. Knapper converted for a four-point lead.

The NCL side then made it two tries inside the opening 10 minutes of the second half. Stanley managed to get his hands free and offload to Ingham, who scored in the corner. Knapper scored the conversion for a 10-point lead.

Pilks were then able to go three tries in front on the hour. Connick was able to step through a gap and score under the posts. Knapper added the conversion.

It was soon four tries in the second half for the ‘hosts’. Abel was able to step around the defence and scores under the posts. However, he was hit late after getting the ball down which saw the two teams come together. Abdullhaq Abayomi was sent to the sin bin for the hit.

Once things had settled back down, Knapper was able to kick the conversion.

The NCL side were able to make the extra man count with another try in the closing stages. They had the numbers on the left-hand side and Stanley was able to score out wide. This time, Knapper’s conversion flashed past the posts.

Pilkington Recs‘ reward is a home tie against Siddal in round two at the end of the month.

Team News

Galway: Cleary, McDonagh, Lagaaia, Reynolds, Why, Walsh, Guilfoyle, Gormley, Fifita, Abayomi, Stanley, McCabe, Towey. Subs: Marmion, Donohue, O’Connoll, Neary.

Tries: McDonagh, Guilfoyle

Goals: Walsh 1/2

Pilkington Recs: Brown, Duberry, Houghton, Stanley, Ingham, Knapper, Abel, Key, Stevens, Martin, Morris, L.Riley, Connick. Subs: P.Riley, Lynch, Roughley, Mannion.

Tries: Morris (2), Duberry, Ingham, Connick, Abel, Stanley.

Goals: Knapper 4/7