WHAT AN EXTRAORDINARY WEEKEND OF RUGBY!!
Coolmine Youths rugby took a giant leap forward this season with six out of our seven youth teams winning in the final stages of cup and league competitions with our U17s mounting the most audacious smash-and-grab semifinal victory see in Ashbrook in a long time.
On what was a glorious day for rugby, the club was humming with anticipation from early as teams turned up for their warm up routines well in advance of kick off.
U13s
The A group we're looking to progress further in the Plate after easily taking care of North Meath last weeek. Next up was Donnybrook whom they had met earlier in the season and beaten with some to spare. And so it was on this occassion also as they easily cruised past Donnybrook (combined Bective and Wesley outfit) to push on into the semi-finals on a score of 41-0.
The B group had tougher opposition in St Marys but came through with flying colours running out easy winners in the end 38-12.
U14s
The 2003 group were the first Coolmine youth team to reach a final recently and were pushing to move into the semi-final of the cup competition in taking on DLSP, league toppers of Division 1.
With full squad available to the coaching group, the U14s tore into the opposition from the start and despite giving early breakdown ball away that put them under pressure, it wasn't long before they mounted their first attack with Callum Oliphant pulling the strings at 10 to unleash the powerful back line that has been a feature of their game all season.
Some well worked moves from the backs and quick offload ball had them at 14-0 with a short timeframe and they went further ahead as they began to find their tempo.
While the forwards came out in the second half much hungrier in the breakdown, the stronger bench made the difference as they went out of sight from DSLP, running in seven tries, only two unconverted.
While DLSP had some quality players in key areas and tacked on some scores because of sloppy defending by Coolmine, it was a bridge too far for them to hold back all the attacking Coolmine options that were put on show.
Final score 45-12.
U15s
Sitting top of their division in the league and only one loss, the 2004 group have been focussing on plate and cup competitions. For the second time running in as many of weeks, they've come up against a strong Seapoint outfit and lost out narrowly by 26 to 22. The teams meet again next week in the league semi-final and will have learnt plenty to put all wrongs to right by then.
U16s
In the first of their semis and fresh after putting Cill Dara to sword last week, the U16s hosted Barnhall with a chance to go to Donnybrook and into the Premier league final at stake.
In truth this was a routine victory for this group, having beaten Barnhall easily a few weeks back. The difference in squads was apparent early and while the results always reflect poorly on Barnhall, the games against them at this level are far from certain victories.
The powerful Coolmine pack was just too much for the Celbridge team and when the ball was whipped out wide, the Coolmine back three exposed the defensive weaknesses in ruthless fashion.
Coolmine were at least five tries to the good by half time and they emptied their bench with lads that are equal to those being subbed. The pain for Barnhall did not ease and Coolmine finished this with a flourish. Next up for this group is Malahide in the cup.
U17s ****WIN OF THE WEEK***
The Coolmine Houdinis
The best was saved until the last with an absolute rollercoaster of a match that kept everyone in Ashbrook on edge until final whistle. Probably the best final 15 minutes by a Coolmine team that were dead and buried with 15 minutes to go. What a game.
Result Coolmine 19 Cill Dara 17
See full match report seperately.
A great display by all youth teams and there is little doubt now that the future of the club is safe in the hands of all the players, coaches and parents who have put in a serious effort with these groups over the past decade to get them all vying for top honours in Leinster rugby.
Keep it up everyone.
#hardworkdedication
Their sensational come back from 16-0 down to beat Cill Dara in the league semi was probably the best performance of a Coolmine team in Ashbrook in a long time and energised the youths and club as a whole.
