A fantastic second-half display of rugby from both sides ended in Colaiste Iognaid (The Jes) defeating Garbally by a single point in Creggs this evening.

The game ebbed and flowed with both sides leading in the second half but a Bobby Power try and Calum Elwood kicking put distance between them and their opponents, however, a late converted try ensured a losing bonus point for Garbally.

The opening stages of the game were lively as both sides looked to take the momentum from the off.  Garbally had the majority of the possession early on in the Jes half of the field but the Iognaid side dealt with the pressure and drove Garbally back to halfway. 

At the ten-minute mark of the game, despite a number of penalties conceded by both sides, the game remained scoreless.

Similar to the first game of the day between Summerhill and Muredach’s, the conditions did not suit a kicking game at all with handling errors much more common.

The Jes would be very happy with the opening quarter of the match as stout defence kept Garbally at bay in the early period allowing them to find their way into the game and eventually take the lead.

It was on the 20th minute mark when Iognaid broke the deadlock, they held a penalty advantage and took the lead with Calum Elwood getting in behind the Garbally defence to touch down. Elwood was unable to add the extra points in tricky conditions. 

Garbally struggled to create anything to get back on level terms later in the half. The Jes were buoyant after taking the lead and would be by far the happier of the two sides going in with a five-point lead at the break. 

The Jes picked up a yellow card for an intentional knock-on early in the second half which Garbally hoped could give them some life.

To which it did, as Garbally took the lead with twenty minutes to go, Ronan Kelly going over the white line to level the game. Sean Power made no mistake from the dead ball and secured the extra points and the lead for his side shortly after. 

The Jes were not done yet, however, as a fantastic kick from Calum Elwood under seriously tough conditions put his side in the lead once more in a thrilling second half of rugby. 

Iognaid were pushing on after taking the lead, and shortly after Bobby Power went over the line to extend his sides lead to six, giving Elwood the chance to make it a two-score game coming into the final stages of the game. Elwood, full of confidence from the earlier penalty made no mistake making the score 15-7.

Garbally were not down and out yet and with a few minutes to go managed to get over for the second time in the match, and with Tierney making no mistake from the kick were now just one point behind but Garbally would have to settle for a losing BP as the Jes won out by a single point.