Irish Fall to 0-2
Laurel, MD- The Washington Irish headed into their third matrix match versus Rocky Gorge 0-2 in league play. They left 0-3. It was another hard fought match in which the Irish simply could not put together a coherent, consistent attack and made too many small mistakes that they got hammered for making while letting Rocky Gorge fumble, knock and stall without taking anything.
The first 20 minutes began with more familiar play from Irish opposition. They were repeatedly kicking deep to make the Irish earn every meter of play. While the Irish fielded most of the kicks well all day, there were several errors that cost Green possession as well as territory. The defense was strong at the onset making Gorge work. But sure enough, a team cannot play defense the entire day and plan on not making any mistakes. About midway through the first half a Gorge center made a half break and found their wing who shed an attempted tackle and finished for a try. The conversion was good.
Minutes after the Irish were called for a marginal forward pass that likely would have resulted in a try the stingy Irish defense created an opportunity. Timothy Donovan nailed a forward taking a crash ball and jarred the ball loose. Nate Kusner who was coming in to pouch the ball came up with it and out ran the opposition to score under the posts. The conversion was good.
The Irish continued to play in their half but were continually halted at penalties from a cagey Rocky Gorge side. After 3 or 4 several phase runs at goal separated only by Gorge penalties the Irish conceded the ball and Gorge cleared it, narrowly escaping allowing a try. After getting the ball back and pushing back into enemy territory, from the blind side wing Mark Seiss took a late ball off Anthony Caron and broke through. Great job by Jon Hansen doing the little things at inside center, and drawing his man without the ball creating the space for Seiss. Seiss then found Kusner again in support and Kusner sprinted in for 5 more. Conversion by Caron is good. At halftime it is 14-7 in favor of the Washington Irish.
The second half started with both teams volleying the ball back and forth trying to get some field position advantage. Minutes later off a back line move the ball goes wide to their wing who again managed to slice through the Irish for a try. Kick is pushed wide. Irish 14-12. They followed again shortly thereafter taking the lead 17-14.
With time winding down the Irish got a bit fast and loose with their play rather than take their time and try to play the phase ball that they had had at least some success with. Handling errors as well as just too many players trying to get the extra meter rather than ensure possession cost the Irish dearly. Countering one of the Gorge kicks John Schnibbe got hasty and had a kick charged down deep in Irish territory. Despite a gutsy chase by skipper Anthony Caron the Gorge attacker fell in for the try. 27-14 in favor of Rocky Gorge.
With time winding down the Irish made one last break. Gorge again was penalized inside their own 10-meter line and then had a player receive a yellow card for an inexcusable hit on Kusner. It occurred when Kusner was waiting to take a quick tap and when catching the retrieved ball was laid out by a Gorge player. After the card, Kusner all the same took it himself through the entire Gorge pack for his third try of the day. The kicked was wide and time expired. Irish lose 27-19.
Once again the Irish had a game that they were in control of snatched from them. After the game many of the players found the most frustrating part about the game is that they could not point at one thing and say, "That cost us the game". Perhaps it is now up to each player to think over the last three matches and fix their own game. Small individual mistakes, whether it be knock-ons, taking a play off, not communicating, or failing to support a team mate, have added up for 3 straight losses- all of which they have held leads in. The Irish have not been out gunned in any of the games nor was there any good reason for them to be unprepared. For that matter this is a more talented team that beat Media RFC in Media, ran PAC off the field at the Rites of Spring and just ran out of time in a quest to beat Baltimore-Chesapeake in the final of their own tourney. No less, the Irish are now 0-3 with only four matrix matches left to play. It will be up to the Irish players to determine how history will remember this 2007 Irish side.
B-Side
As with previous weeks the scoring came early and often for the Washington Irish. Minutes in, Justin Brandenburg, playing center in this game, found space in the Gorge back line and found James Thompson sprinting up the sideline. Thomson in turn drew his man and found Tom Rege in support. Tom then found Evan Gallagher coming on who finished for the try.
Minutes later with Steve Johnson running the attack and causing havoc in the midfield again found Brandenburg hitting a hole. He flipped it wide to Chuck Goldston who powered in for the try. Brandenburg would follow that up shortly there after with a break off of a kick counter. A few plays later the Irish were deep in Gorge territory again. The Irish stole the scrum and Anthony Rodgers took it strong himself and with a great second effort got the ball just over the try line. James MacIntyre converted. It should be noted that MacIntyre also ran and supported very well for the first half.
The second half displayed more of the same Irish B-side dominance. Timothy Donovan, who played well over 100 minutes on Saturday, made a break off a ruck and deftly navigated through most the Gorge defense. The ball was retained when they finally corralled him and Kerry Mannion picked it off the ground and drove ahead while the rest of their support got there. Very cagey. The ball was then played back to Thompson and then out to Goldston, who can still stop on a dime. He was brought to deck and MacIntrye in great support took the pop pass from the ground was tripped up, got back to his feet, and then finished the try.
The next score came off of a clever pop kick by Anthony Caron that pinned Gorge deep in their own territory. A Gorge scrum was stolen by Green and a few phases later Jeff McEvoy powered in from 3 meters out. You read that right. Jeff McEvoy getting a game in for the last 16 consecutive seasons. Kudos Mac- great try.
The score was rounded out by Caron kicking deep again and recovering it himself for the try, and shortly after Jon Hansen picked a sloppy ball up and found pay dirt. Game ends with the Irish with 7 or 8 scores to a "Charlie Weis" for Gorge.
This week the Irish host the defending Division II National Champions in the Raleigh Vipers. Raleigh has dropped two of their first three games but never should be taken lightly. The Irish will have to dig deep in themselves to run the table and do everything they can to get into the playoffs.
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