Setback for Navan as Barnhall take points

There was no consolation for Navan as they lost out to NUIM Barnhall in the AIL Div 2B on Saturday. There wasn't even a bonus point to soothe aching limbs at the end of this bruising encounter at Balreask Old. NUIM Barnhall are an amalgamation of the well-established Barnhall club and the students of NUI Maynooth. It's a marriage of convenience that appears to be working out just fine with the team now at the business end of the table with promotion very much in their sights. That prize has long gone over the horizon as far as Navan are concerned, but at least they don't have to worry about relegation either. If this match demonstrated anything as far as Navan were concerned it is the gap they will need to bridge if they are to turn themselves from a mid-table entity to promotion hopefuls. While the home side enjoyed spells of dominance NUIM Barnhall attacked with a confidence and panache that produced three tries and a deserved victory. Navan conceded too many penalties and made too many unforced errors to get the firm foothold on the game they needed. They also spurned too many opportunites from placed balls to get the kind of edge on their opponents they sought. With regular place-kicker David Sheridan out injured both Fergal Hennessy (pictured) and Ryan van der Vyver missed shots at the posts. The visitors showed most of the attacking flair on view and they were rewarded for their adventurous approach. They led 10-0 at the interval and while Navan showed plenty of fire and spirit the closest they came to finding a way back was when they reduced the deficit to eight points midway through the second-half. A try from Ryan Hopkins added to a conversion and penalty from out-half Simon Gillespie gave NUIM Barnhall their comfortable interval advantage. Gillespie tagged on another three points from a penalty soon after the interval and it looked like it could be a cakewalk for the high-flying visitors. Then Navan showed their determination not to play second-fiddle by producing some of their best rugby of the afternoon. They put together phase after phase and early in the second-half were rewarded for their go-forward spirit when Simon Dawson crossed over for a try. It was a well-engineered move with Mo McAuley and Hennessy in particular displaying quick hands and plenty of attacking verve to carve out the opportunity. Dawson finished the move off to cap a very good display in the back-row. The conversion attempt was missed by van der Vyver, but at least Navan were back in the race. For the next 15 minutes or so Navan attacked, again they moved the ball through the phases and they almost broke through for another try. However, they were held up inches short of the line. Instead of a getting a touchdown they were awarded a penalty and opted to go for the posts from the edge of the 22 but van der Vyver's effort sailed wide. And that series of incidents demonstrated the kind of frustration that Navan had to endure all afternoon. While they lacked nothing when it came to hard work, unforced errors and the wrong option cost them vital momentum and their opponents were sharp enough to take advantage. Paul Feeney capped a customary, all-action display in the closing stages with a try although by then it was clear that NUIM Barnhall were not going to be caught. The final act of the afternoon came from NUIM Barnhall when they dug out a try-scoring opportunity with their substitute John Campbell touching down. One of the most impressive parts of Navan's performance could be seen in the first half-hour or so when they defended tenaciously. NUIM Barnhall had come to Balreask Old to attack and they threw the ball around with abandon stretching the Navan defence one way then the other. It was at that stage that the Navan players put in tackle after tackle with everyone involved in holding back the tide with van der Vyver and David King among those to make big hits. Overall it was an impressive display of stubborn resistance from Navan, but it couldn't continue indefinitely. Eventually something had to give and it was from a midfield break that the visitors carved out the crucial opening try and by doing so set themselves up for victory. The Navan scrum was impressive throughout despite the fact that a shoulder injury to David King forced a complete reshuffle of the front-row with Matt Liddle, James McGahy and Eoin King ending the game as the front three. The Navan scrum still held firm however it was the difficulties that came with trying to contain NUIM Barnhall's attacking verve that Navan's hopes floundered. Next on the list is a trip down to Cork to take on Sunday's Well on Saturday 3rd March. Navan - F Hennessy, M McAuley, J Davis, R van der Vyver, S Hogan, J Mullins, D Delahunt; E Hanratty, E King, D King, J Duffy, P Feeney, C Brady, S Dawson, L Jackson. Subs - M Liddle for Hanratty, R O'Brien for Delahunt, J McCagy for D King, C Dunne for McAuley, D Geraghty for Dawson. NUIM Barnhall - R Hopkins, M Kavanagh, M Brown, D Stewart, A Hughes, S Gillespie, R Holt; P Courtney, G Murray, R Dufficy, R Young, C McDermott, T McKeown, C Dunne, B Dunne. Subs - J Nolan for Courtney, P Beatty for Murray, R McGrath for Kavanagh, J Campbell for Young. Referee - Stewart Douglas (Ulster Branch).