Boyne 6, Navan 17

There was more substance than style about Navan at Shamrock Lodge on Saturday as they returned to All-Ireland League Div 2B winning ways with an impressive victory over north-east neighbours Boyne. The thunderous shower than fell for over 20 minutes either side of half-time threatened to reduce the game to a mud-wrestling match, but instead both sides produced quality forwards rugby that kept the large, wet crowd entertained. Navan fully merited this win. Their hunger was immense and their commitment to the cause ensured that they dominated possession and territory and never looked like conceding a try. Boyne struggled to live with the Navan forward division. Inspired by outstanding captain Leigh Jackson, Navan never took their foot off the gas as they powered through the phases when in possession and forced Boyne to try to slog their way through midfield. The power and pace of the Navan pack ensured that every avenue Boyne tried to go down was blocked. Matt Liddle, Jimmy McGahy, David King and Shane Dawson put in some fearsome hits, while Paul Feeney, John Duffy and Tom Boyle were a menace at both the line-outs and in open play where they were quickest to react at the breakdown. However, it was the hard work, total commitment and all-round complete performance from Jackson that set the tone for this Navan performance that was built on bravery and determination and an insatiable appetite to succeed. Even when Navan were reduced to 13 players for seven second-half minutes following yellow cards for Boyle and Ross O'Brien they were still on the front foot. They never looked numerically deficient and it was Boyne who appeared ragged as they tried to pull away from playing the game in the forwards. That ploy to keep the ball alive and moving wasn't suited to the conditions. The heavy rain reduced the pitch to a skating rink, the ball resembled a bar of soap and subsequently decent set movements and good handling were next to impossible. The weather played into Navan's hands. They kept the ball tight, worked throught the phases and then when an opening presented itself they took it with clinical efficency. With just a win over Sligo from their first three games another victory was vital for Navan as they bid to get their title aspirations back on track, but Boyne went into the game on the back of two wins from three outings and were in decent form despite losing to Suttonians last weekend. However, it was Navan who looked the vastly superior side and indeed they should have been more clearcut winners, but Riaan van der Vyver was wayward with the boot as the Meath side squandered a few excellent opportunities from placed balls. Those missed penalties and an awful conversion attempt from Jack Mullins didn't have far reaching consequnces, but the backs still had to work hard to supplement the outstanding efforts of the dogged pack. Opting to play with the strong wind at their backs Navan got off to an ideal start when St Patrick's GAA player Paddy Muldowney went over the top of a ruck inside his own 22 and directly in front of the posts. The referee awarded the penalty and van der Vyder gave the visitors a fourth minute 3-0 lead. However, then the South African's shooting boots went awry. Four minutes later a dangerous tackle by former St Colmcille's GAA player Niall Kerbey and subsequent dissent gave van der Vyver another opportunity, but he struck his effort left and wide. Boyne continued to make errors and when Bevan Duffy, son of Dragon's Den star Gavin, strayed offside van der Vyver had another penalty chance, but again his effort sailed wide. Navan's incessant pressure eventually paid off after 32 minutes when Simon Hogan skipped several tackles, off-loaded to Duffy who in turn found Boyle who fell over the line to grab the opening try, van der Vyver added the conversion from in front of the posts to give Navan a 10-0 lead. He had another chance to stretch that advantage before the break, but again he screwed his kick left and wide as Navan took a 10-point lead into the break. As the rain continued to bucket down for the start of the second-half play became very scrappy. Most of the action was centred around scrums, rucks and mauls and after Boyle received a yellow card for deliberate hands in the ruck Kerbey gave Boyne hope with a simple penalty. Another yellow card for replacement scrum-half O'Brien following an off-the-ball clash saw Navan down to 13 players, but they stood strong and conceded just three points to another Kerbey penalty. Kerbey missed a difficult kick midway through the second-half after King was penalised for bringing down a ruck, but as soon as Navan were restored to 15 players they assumed control again. A high tackle on Boyle by Adam Sherrard, son of Ireland's two-time Eurovision winner Johnny Logan, gave Navan an opportunity to stretch their lead, but with van der Vyver off with a hip injury Mullins took over kicking duties and missed the easiest of chances. In a couple of bizarre moments the referee penalised Boyne for disrespect to the kicker and offered another penalty to Navan, but further indiscipline by Casey Dunne forced the referee to overturn his original decision and Boyne were off the hook, but not for long. As the hosts became bogged down in midfield they tried one pass too many and it was fitting that Jackson stole an interception and raced clear from half-way to seal the win with his side's second try. Dunne added the extras as Navan claimed the bragging rights and the points to get their campaign back on track. Boyne - N Kerbey, A Sherrard, B Duffy, H Kennedy, E Duffy, B Croke, C McGrath; J Kinsella, G Cooney, P Cooney, I O'Reilly, P Muldowney, C Walsh, C Smith, E Collins. Subs - B Howell for Duffy half-time, C Casey for Kennedy 54 mins. Navan - R Van Der Vyver, C Dunne, D Geraghty, S Hogan, M McAuley, J Mullins, D Delahunt; M Liddle, J McGahy, D King, P Feeney, J Duffy, T Boyle, S Dawson, L Jackson. Subs - R O'Brien for Delahunt half-time, C Sullivan for D Geraghty 49 mins, Delahunt for McAuley 53m, T Geraghty for Van Der Vyver 61m. Referee - Stuart Gaffakin (Ballinahinch, ARLB)