Ashbourne hold out for victory despite some heavy pressure

In the closing stages of this Leinster League Div 1B encounter at Milltown on Sunday one Ashbourne clubman who was anxiously watching the action unfold wiped his brow and said: "This is not good for the heart." He was referring to the way Ashbourne were doing their interpretation of 'Custer's Last Stand' and holding out against a late Clondalkin onslaught. The seconds were ticking away and the visitors, who trailed by four points, needed a try to save their day. They almost got it too and were only prevented from finding a way through by some heroic Ashbourne defending. At times in those tense final moments it looked like Clondalkin were sure to get what they were looking for only to be thwarted by a late, desperate tackle or some other piece of stout Ashbourne defending. Eventually a Clondalkin player knocked on, and their chance of a victory was gone. Ashbourne were left to celebrate another win that takes them a step closer to achieving what is their main objective in the league this season - consolidation. While they have an outside chance of getting into a promotion, Ashbourne have made a big step up in standard this season and they know that staying in the division will be an achievement. After that it will be about bringing young players into the team, strengthening certain positions and perhaps then think of titles. Even if they had employed a Hollywood scriptwriter Ashbourne could not have come up with a better start to this game - or to their new year. With three minutes on the clock and in their first meaningful attack they found a chink in the Clondalkin armoury to grab a try. The score came from a brilliant back-line move with Joe Taylor and Dermot Colreavy involved in getting the ball to Paul Morris who ran in for a touchdown under the posts. Gavin Kennedy (pictured) easily converted and the home side were on their way. All afternoon Ashbourne looked a potent force whenever they moved the ball wide and got their backline moving. Safe hands and swift legs made for a potent combination and led to their second try on 33 minutes. This time Morris and Darragh Curran got the momentum going with Ken Bolster picking the ball up about 20 metres out and skilfully skipping past a tackle before off-loading to Adam Sherrard who went over in the corner. That helped Ashbourne to go at the break with a 14-3 lead and a solid platform going into the second-half. Ashbourne's greatest difficulties were experienced in the set-pieces although they continued to sort out the problems as the afternoon wore on with coach Wayne Mitchell making changes that brought about significant improvements. For the first half-hour Ashbourne really struggled in the scrum and were pushed back from their own put-in on a few occasions. Changes were needed and Mitchell made some adjustments to his front row including the arrival of Eamonn Bolton on the field with Alan Wall filling in as tighthead. The evergreen Jeff Mahon also moved from the back of the scrum to the second-row with Rory Gleeson operating at number eight. The changes had the desired effect of improving the power of the pack and it was from possession gained in what was their first solid scrum of the afternoon that Ashbourne scored with Sherrard's try. The second-half was very much a case of Ashbourne holding out against the breeze while Clondalkin attacked. The type of pressure the home side had to contend with was most clearly illustrated in the way the visitors scored their second try. It came after Clondalkin were camped on the Ashbourne tryline for a spell. Referee Tom Tuohy felt Ashbourne had conceded one infringement too many in their efforts to hold out and he gave Clondalkin a penalty try which their place-kicker Chris Jebb easily converted. Almost immediately afterwards Ashbourne launched one of their relatively rare attacks in the second-half and were rewarded with a penalty. It was outside the Clondalkin 10-metre line and represented a big challenge for home kicker Kennedy. Yet he nailed it with a fine punt. It was an important score and meant Clondalkin now had to attempt to work a try. The home out-half did miss from a penalty kick soon after from much the same distance and angle. His counterpart, Jebb, also had a punt from a long-range penalty in the closing minutes only to direct the ball wide. It was one of the let-offs that ensured that Ashbourne won the day. Much of the credit for Ashbourne's success must go down to their very consistent rate of tackling. Missed tackles were a rarity from either backs or forwards. Some fierce full-on tackles from the likes of Mahon, Colreavy, Morris and Gleeson played a big factor in Ashbourne managing to hold back the Clondalkin hordes. There was also some tremendous work at the breakdown with Bolster, who was sin-binned in the second-half, also putting in a big shift in this sector. Despite all the late pressure the home side held on for a win - although the Ashbourne clubman could have done without having to watch his side endure that late, nerve-shredding siege. Ashbourne - D Colreavy, A Sherrard, C Coyle, P Morris, J Taylor, G Kennedy, C McNally; F Keegan, A Wall, C Roche, M Biesbrouck, D Curran, K Bolster, M Rooney, J Mahon. Subs - J Rooney for M Rooney, R Gleeson for Biesbrouck. Clondalkin - C Jebb, G Donnelly, A Dixon, A Collier, N Nolan, D Gaule, M Molloy; K Kelly, B Doyle, C Cullen, R Dever, D Glennon, S King, P McDermott. Sub - B Russell for Kelly. Referee - Tom Tuohy (Leinster Branch).