Dublin University Football Club (DUFC) comfortably dispatched a visiting Cambridge team today in what was the 140th anniversary of the sides’ first meeting. DUFC took a break from league duties to host Cambridge in College Park in the annual friendly played between the two teams. After a marauding 50-0 triumph last year in Cambridge, Trinity looked comfortable today and retained bragging rights after a 36-10 victory.
Trinity started the stronger of the two sides, Captain Michael Courtney ever threatening with a number of clever line-breaks. However, Cambridge was first on the scoreboard with three points after Trinity was caught offside in the middle of the park. The hosts did not take long to respond, Evan Dixon crossing the white line after a strong five-metre scrum from DUFC. Tommy Whittle failed to convert.
Trinity was well on top by this point, but sloppy offloading and unforced knock-ons meant the players weren’t turning their dominance into points. Meanwhile, Cambridge looked to get in behind Trinity’s defensive line with a number of probing kicks from hand. With half an hour gone, DUFC consolidated its lead with another try. After a quick break resulted in a lineout five metres from the Cambridge try-line, Trinity’s forwards drove over with a strong maul. First-year Jack Dunne was the man who emerged from the meleé with fist raised, and Whittle made no mistake this time to bring the score to 12-3 going into half-time.
Cambridge, clearly determined not to fall to a second drubbing in as many years, started the second half with real purpose. The team quickly touched down for a converted try after some intelligent play through the middle to restore relative parity between the sides.
However, there was always a sense that Trinity could go up a gear if the occasion demanded it, substantiated by a quick and brutal response to conceding a try. Collecting the ball on the 10-metre line, the impressive Jack Dunne brushed off several Cambridge defenders to claim his second try of the day. A visibly confident Whittle added the extra two points. DUFC was now firmly in control and began to turn on the style. Courtney was pushed into touch just short of the line, but Trinity would not be denied its fourth try, quick hands giving new boy Christian Byrne the opportunity to touch down in the corner. Whittle converted once again to bring the score to 26-10.
Courtney and Byrne combined once again for another breakaway try, Byrne cleverly releasing his captain who was only too grateful for the opportunity to get his name on the scoresheet. And, in a carbon copy of Dunne’s first-half try, a Trinity maul allowed substitute Roghan McMahon to ground the ball and complete the rout.
Despite a heavy defeat, Cambridge did not look too disheartened after the final whistle. For both teams, the day was more important as a celebration of their shared history than as a battle on the pitch.
Ivan Rakhmanin contributed reporting to this piece.
