Edenderry Rugby Club

Edenderry 1st XV started their Leinster League campaign with an impressive victory away to Birr on Sunday last.

The fine weather on the day and the hard ground in Birr made it suitable for attacking rugby and Edenderry did not disappoint. They went into an early lead with a Liam Holt penalty, who had come in to the out half position for Bisto Kelly who was moved from outhalf to scrum half after Rob Conlan, who had only recently returned from injury, took a tough knock after a great break down the blindside of an Edenderry scrum, and had to be substituted. Conor Moore came in to fill the vacancy at fullback.

The game was then quite tight for about ten minutes with both sides enjoying plenty of possession until Edenderry winger Jason Moore got the ball after some good handling across the Edenderry backline and he scored a wonderful try showing some real pace passing four Birr defenders, using the hand off well to score in the corner. The game was tight again for a period, Birr never really treathening the Edenderry line but the home side did defend well and it was not until Liam Holt made a great break through the line and fed the ball to his half back partner Bisto Kelly who did well to be in support and he scored under the posts to give Edenderry a bit of breathing space. Holt added the conversion and Edenderry were ahead 13 - 0. Birr did have a penalty chance just before the break but the kick sailed wide of the post and at the break the score still stood 13 -0 to the away side.

At the break Sam Holt came on for David Hurst on the wing but aside from that the team remained unchanged.
Birr missed another penalty chance just after the break after some good work by their forwards drove them into the Edenderry half, and they did mount some pressure on the Edenderry line but the away sides pack battled for every ball and Bisto kelly and Liam Holt cleared their lines well on a number of occasions to keep the home side from converting the pressure into points. Liam Holt then added another penalty after about 15 minutes of the second half and Edenderrys fitness really started to show at this stage. They started to put the Birr team under a lot of pressure with Stephen Potterton and David Keenan carrying the ball well and making ground, pushing into  the opposition half. Frank Kennedy performed extremely well in the line out stealing a number of opposition throw ins and Derek Kearney battled hard at the break down stealing possession on a number of occasions.

Edenderry continued to use their bench well, James Jenkinson came on for Sod  O'Donnell at openside wing forward.

The sustained Edenderry pressure paid off again late in the game and after a great burst by Ethan Cooney which left his opposite number floored and groggy, the Edenderry pack took the ball on up the field and after the ball came out to Bisto Kelly he went down the blind side passing well and no one was going to stop Brain Rushe for charging over into the corner. Edenderry did try to push for  a fourth try for the bonus but time was against them and the game finished an impressive 23 -0.

ERFC 1st XV 23 Birr 1st XV 0