Somme-like victory good for confidence

Against near neighbours Longford, who by dint of their losing bonus point, stay just ahead of Mullingar in Division 3 of the Leinster League, this was a game won in the trenches.For the first time this season, Mullingar conceded fewer penalties, lost fewer line-outs and scored more points, and did so on a Thursday night, away from home, on a cold and waterlogged pitch with an end-to-end wind.Ironically, when this pitch was opened 26 years ago by one Tony Ward, it was the first all-weather pitch built by the Prunty-Mulqueen firm in the Republic. In fairness, it probably doesn¹t owe Longford a thing at this stage - except, perhaps, the possibility of easier opposition.And let's not forget. This is a Longford team with a former Ireland Under 18 cap and another chap who played semi-pro in Australia in its fairly useful ranks.Longford started with the breeze and kept Mullingar pinned expertly in the corners. Despite conceding a 20m maul on seven minutes, the Mullingar defence was adequate and Longford gained nought. Once again, Murphy at fullback and the forrmidable Smith partnership in midfield closed the gaps admirably. They were ably assisted by an enterprising Butler at scrum half who marshalled the pack well and sniped like a seasoned pro.Having weathered the early pressure, Mullingar moved upfield and a disciplined platform gave Ryland the first three points on 14 minutes.Longford used the atmospherics again but some tasty linkage between the Murphy axis of 15 and four saw some mighty acreage gained down the left. Spreading wide to the opposite, front row Farlo went at the line like a winger and unloaded a beaut of an under-oxter to Ryland in a tight outside, only to see him bundled to touch in the corner on the 20 minute mark.The home side tried the wind again but some astute kicking between 10 and 12 saw Mullingar exploit a lot of territory to which they had little right. It was becoming quite an attritional game, with short yards swopped in Somme-like measures. At this stage, it smelt like a 9-6er and the touchline feeling leant towards an up-the-jumper sort of battle. Longford were no longer making anything like 20m in mauls now, although they were still looking for it.After holding out a 6-phase push, Mullingar conceded a scrum infringement inside their 22 and Longford duly punished it with an equaliser on 32 minutes. Four minutes later,though, the game¹s turning moment occured.Mullingar got a penalty at half way and put it up the line. An airborne Murph set the platform and on they rumbled in a well-drilled fashion towards the home team's corner.A maul mischief conceded saw Mullingar repeat the inexorable punishing and a peel and barge from close range saw the try-scoring machine that is Adriel Farrell crash over for a fine try with two minutes remaining in the half.Ryland was close with the extras, and the teams huddled round the orange trays at 3-8 moments later.Longford renewed with an additional vigour, making valuable ground after a clever quick free kick six minutes in. Niall Smith tidied but in the ensuing maul, the enterprising general Butler took a solid wobbler to the head that forced him to take no further part. The versatile and hungry Yeoman replaced young Butler in what was to be the first of his three positions.A dangerous, try-sniffing dash by Longford¹s scrumhalf was well snuffed out by the fresh Yeoman, but not before he had clipped a hairy infielder.Deeming the pen and yellow in front of the posts to be the lesser of two evils, try scorer Farlo handled in an awful offside.Steven Fagan did the manful for the 10 minutes to allow Farlo maintain Mullingar¹s scrumability, whilst Longford pegged back the deficit to two points on 53 minutes. It was the greater discipline of Mullingar that was next to be rewarded when they got a penalty just inside the Longford half.Ryland used the wind well, but it shaved right and the score remained at 6-8.Another such opportunity was given to the boys in the scarlet and grey a few minutes later, and though 10m nearer, the result was again the same.Not pulling away was just the dangled carrot the locals in black required and they came strong at Mullingar. The first and only stroke of luck to go Mullingar¹s way came on 66 minutes when the Longford left wing dropped a walk-over.The next three minutes was the measure of Mullingar's second half when they held out eight phases on the line, conceding only a penalty which was missed. Mullingar's chief touchline guru, Geoff Ta'taurangi felt fresh legs would help the cause and on 69 minutes brought on Hewitt and Gibson for the well worked Pearson and Fagan.Into the last 10 and the game was still very competitive. The reasonably sized crowd definitely thought so when they roared for blood after Andy Yeoman folded an unfortunate in front of them but to no avail. So the home team worked another route and manufactured a classic Wilkinson.With three minutes of normal time remaining they strung a number of good platforms together up the middle and from 30m out, dropped what looked like the winner. Withiout panicking, Mullingar returned the screw and when Longford went in from the side on 79 minutes, the potential winner was teed up at 42m.There was a little confusion amongst the Mullingar sideline stalwarts as to who was stepping back, as Ryland was down beside us but up stepped a confident Mark Potter from the base of the scrum to lazily stroke over a peach of a winner.Holding on for the remaining three minutes, Mullingar chalked up their fourth win in this increasingly interesting league campaign.Team: Adriel Farrell, Robbie Collentine, James O¹Hara, Aubrey Pearson, Ray Murphy, Anthony Doolan, Steven Fagan, Mark Potter, David Butler, Alan Kelly, Robbie Ryland, Niall Smith, Aonghus Smith, Rory O¹Reilly, Brian Murphy. Subs: Andy Yeoman (for D Butler 46 mins), Pete Gibson (for S. Fagan 69 mins), Vinny Hewitt (for A. Pearson 69 mins), Alan Keena, Jason WInfield.Scorers: Tries: Adriel Farrell (1); Pens: Robbie Ryland (1), Mark Potter (1).