Dublin University Football Club (DUFC) suffered defeat today at the hands of city rivals University College Dublin (UCD). Unlike the DUFC’s last league game, the team started strongly. UCD seemed taken aback by the tenacity of Trinity’s attack, a tenacity that was missing in their previous match. A couple of minutes in, Trinity’s captain Michael Courtney nearly got underneath the UCD posts after a neat offload from James Fennelly put him through. It wouldn’t take long for Trinity to capitalise on this strong start. Five minutes in, Courtney managed to collect a well placed chip by Fennelly and slam the ball down putting Trinity 5-0 up. Fennelly missed the ensuing conversion.
Trinity’s fortunes would swing wildly just a minute later. Seconds after kick off a loose Trinity pass was intercepted by UCD’s Stephen Murphy who barrelled his way through the Trinity defence to touch down under the posts, setting up a simple conversion which fly half Ciaran Frawley deftly tapped over.
This swing in momentum buoyed UCD who then added to their tally ten minutes later after a quick line out caught Trinity unaware. UCD were awarded a penalty which they ran. After a couple of phases, Keelan McKenna managed to get over the Trinity line for UCD’s second try, although the subsequent conversion was missed.
Five minutes later UCD scored their third try, taking advantage of missed tackles that left them with numbers out on the left of the field, centre Jamie Glynn finishing off the move. Frawley scored the conversion and added to his tally with a penalty eight minutes later to put the home side 17 points ahead of Trinity going into the break.
Trinity started the second half the stronger of the two teams. From the kick off Trinity got themselves in a good position, going through multiple phases inside the UCD 22, eventually winning a penalty that Fennelly tapped over.
Trinity also looked stronger in defence, with UCD looking less dangerous than earlier in the game. Trinity’s missed tackles would come back to haunt them when 23 minutes into the second half UCD’s Ronan Foley breezed through multiple Trinity tackles to secure UCD’s fourth try and bonus point. Frawley kicked the ensuing conversion.
Trinity came close to getting a second try. Scrum half Angus Lloyd was held up a metre short of the UCD try line after a quick tap and go left UCD scrabbling.
Trinity’s woes were not over. UCD’s Tim Carroll took advantage of a sloppy Trinity pass, collecting the ball and running 50 metres to touch the ball down underneath the Trinity posts. Frawley made quick work of the conversion. The game finished 36-8, with UCD winning the first match of the year between the rivals.
Trinity looked like a different side from the one that lined out against Terenure. They seemed far hungrier, particularly with ball in hand and they made plenty of try scoring opportunities. Another positive Trinity can point to is their scrum which outperformed UCD’s. Trinity’s tackling let them down, with UCD taking full advantage of their mistakes.
Speaking with The University Times after the game, manager Tony Smeeth said: “Obviously we just need to make our own luck. I didn’t think the score was indicative of the game.”
“We gotta hold the ball and it just seemed like they punished us for every mistake”, he added.
Losing to UCD is always a bitter pill to swallow, particularly as the win puts them at the top of the league. But this young Trinity side can take solace from the improvements they have made since the Terenure game. Next week Trinity take on Landsdowne FC in College Park.
