 Action from Friday Night IslandStats.com
First off were the ladies matches between Mariners vs Teachers and Renegades against Police, played simultaneously. The Teachers put in a superb performance but just fell short of a talented Mariners side 2 - 1. Amanda Swan and Chantal Brown were the Try scorers for Mariners, while Marie-Pierre Beaudoin scored for Teachers. The other game saw champions Renegades put in a clinical display defeating a gallant Police team 8 - 3. Laura Haynes scored five Try’s to lead Renegades, with Ruth Boo Leston, Karen Peckett and Maria Dobinson scoring a Try each. Saphia Tonkin scored two Try’s and Julia Mansfield scored the other for Police.
The first men’s match of the evening saw League Champions Teachers defeat the Mariners 20 - 15. The Teachers went ahead when David McHugh scored a Try, the Conversion was missed, but the Teachers looked strong. Lubin Sousa, went over to extend the lead, and when Shauntino Simons kicked the Conversion it made the score 12-0 to the Teachers. Mark Pomeroy scored a penalty for the Mariners to make the score 12-3 at half time.
Teachers extended their lead when Greg Fraser kicked a Penalty to make the score 15 – 3, again the Mariners came back strongly and great work from their pack saw them camped on Teachers try line. Scott Brown showed great patience while waiting for the opportunity before going over to score the Mariners first Try. Pomeroy missed the conversion, but made up for it a few minutes later with a superb conversion to tie the match after Gary Brady had gone over, again after great work from the pack. As both sides pressed to snatch the win, Teachers went out to Scott Cobon on the wing to secure a last gasp Try for the Teachers.
The final match of the night was Police defeat the Renegades in what turned out to be an absolutely fantastic battle that resulted in a total of 57 points. Renegades started brightly and found themselves in an early lead through an Eoghan O’Dwyer’s Penalty. Darragh O’Donoghue added a second penalty to increase the lead. The Renegades were very impressive at this point, and when Greg Garside scored the opening Try, converted by O’Donoghue, to push them 13 - 0 in front, as time expired in the half, Police’s David Pringle scored them off the mark with a fine Try. Renegades held a 13-5 lead at half time.
Police closed the gap shortly after the start of the second half, when Darren Richardson powered over the line to score a Try, with Pringle converting. Renegades responded well, and after O’Donoghue looked to have wasted a good overlap, his reverse pop sent the Conor McGlynn through to score a Try under the posts. Neil MacGuinness converted. Again Police came back with Lambert Schreuder going over for a Try. The end to end battle continued, as Ian Henderson showed brilliant awareness to burst down the side and score a Try for Renegades making the score 25-17. From there out though, Police dominated and pulled it back again with Pringle grabbing his second Try after an excellent break from deep. There then followed a bit of controversy as Durnferd Davis scored in the corner, with Renegades adamant he had been in touch first. O’Dwyer’s extremely over-zealous protestations left the referee with no choice but to send him off. Police sealed the win at the end when Driaan Viljoen grabbed another Try for the 32-25 win.
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