Swords Hit The Ground Running

Swords 15 North Kildare 8

A last minute try for North Kildare slightly muted Swords' celebrations at the end of a game they were in control of for the majority and deservedly won. The Greens kicked off their league campaign in the best possible fashion at ALSAA on Sunday, taking the scalp of one of the division's fancied sides and in the end they could feel a little aggrieved not to have racked up more points.

With near perfect conditions and on a superb playing surface, the stage was set for Swords to hit the ground running after two months of solid pre-season work. They didn't disappoint, taking the game to the visitors straight from the kick off, the forwards setting down a marker that they'd continue to meet throughout the 80 minutes.

An infringement by the Kildare forwards under pressure from the rampaging home pack gave fullback Dave Cahill a shot at the posts and his fine strike gave Swords a 3-0 lead five minutes in. More hard work upfront put Swords on the front foot and they extended their lead ten minutes later when swift hands in the backs allowed left wing Robin Kiely to ghost over.

Kiely's try was a fine team effort all round, as the pack rumbled out the yards, before outhalf Loic Guyomarc'h set his backline in motion, Cahill eventually drawing the cover for the wing to cross. Cahill's conversion made it 10-0 and Swords were looking good, stretching their lead to 15 moments later through the pack.

A lineout on the Kildare 22 was caught and secured and the rolling maul set off, resetting three times, before skipper Shane Mulligan eventually grounded. Cahill couldn't tag on the extras. Swords were well on top and you felt another score then would have killed off their opponents and set them on the path for a bonus point-win.

As it was, the hosts' game became disjointed and they never managed to reach the same peaks for the remainder of the game. Kildare knocked over a penalty to reduce the deficit to 12 at the break, but it was more down to Swords own errors than anything the midlands side had to offer that prevented the home side running clear.

At times, the Greens' defence was immense, turning over endless ball and forcing the errors, flanker Jim Julian a regular thorn in the Kildare side. But too many times Swords undid the good work of their pack by kicking the ball dead or out on the full and by the end there were a total of six shots overcooked.

That said, Guyomarc'h had a fine game at 10, stepping in confidently from his usual centre slot and finding gaps in the Kildare defence. But it was the Swords pack who stole the show, dominant in the lineout with Matt Corbett and Fiachra Coll stealing a couple of throws each, and fronting up in the scrum, squeezing out hard earned ball for the backline to use.

A soft try for Kildare down the blind closed proceedings and though they could have taken more from the game, Swords can be satisfied with a well earned win and a great start to their league campaign.

More of the same away to Rathdrum on Sunday and the gauntlet will be firmly laid down.

Swords RFC: D. Cahill; R. Kiely, D. Weafer, J. Gormly, D. Gallagher; L. Guyomarc'h, J. Kubran; E. O'Donnell, F. McKevitt, E. O'Griofa; M. Corbett, F. Coll; M. Bradley, J. Julian, S. Mulligan(c).