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Old Glory DC played the first ever match against All-Ireland League tourists Shannon RFC at Cardinal Stadium on Sunday. While they came up on the wrong end of a 26-22 score, a strong crowd of more than 2,100 showed up to welcome professional rugby to Washington.
The first points in Old Glory history came just four minutes into the match via the boot of fullback Nick Kuhl. Shannon were caught offside and the vice-captain had no difficulty splitting the uprights, much to the delight of the partisan crowd.
Shannon’s scrum held a significant advantage in experience and it showed at the first collision of the front rows. The maul was equally effective and it set the platform for the first try, with scrumhalf Aran Hehir shooting off the back and through a large gap for an easy seven-pointer.
It was the scrum itself that earned the next score. After wearing their American opponents down in the maul, the visitors got the shove on and when DC pulled away at a 5-meter scrum and left the referee no options but to walk under the sticks for the penalty try.
The home side looked to have gained some front foot ball from a strong Ryan Burroughs counter-attack. Unfortunately for Old Glory, nobody claimed the pass from Michael Reid and instead it was Patrick Ryan who burst through and ran half the length of the field for the easiest of tries.
A fourth try would come to Shannon at the half-hour mark. The scrum set the platform and Jack O’Donnell ran a hard line direct off Hehir to crash over the line. Ben Daly’s conversion rang off the uprights but the visitors were now well ahead.
The Washington heat seemed to be draining the tourists as the half approached. Quick hands from Kuhl put Vetekina Malafu in space and the return pass put the fullback deep inside Shannon territory. Malafu took it five meters further and Dante Lopresti went the last few inches for the first ever DC try.
Perhaps it was the occasion that got to the players. Whatever it was the game descended into repeat bouts of handbags for a good portion of the second half. When at last it settled down, Josh Brown made hard yards from the scrum and soon after John Sage was freed down the left side. With only one made to beat he found Malafu on his shoulder the winger sprinted clear to touch down under the posts.
Fatigue set further in as Shannon were isolated and conceded a turnover won by Sean Hartig. Kuhl went quick and caught the defense unprepared. His chip ahead was gathered by Dacoda Worth, and the flanker took it in for another seven to make for the grandstand finish.
DC went wide and Sage again found Malafu waiting with open arms. He took it well over halfway. Shannon conceded a penalty, and then two more. Old Glory chose the scrum and attacked right but a knock-on snuffed out the attack. Shannon regained possession and killed off the clock to secure the victory.
Next up for Old Glory is a Monday evening match against the Scotland u20 side on May 27, a product of Scottish Rugby’s investment in the Major League Rugby expansion side.
SCORING
OLD GLORY 22
Tries – D. Lopresti (40’), V. Malafu (57’), D. Worth (72’)
Cons – N. Kuhl 2/3 (58’, 73’)
Pens – N. Kuhl 1/1 (4’)
SHANNON 26
Tries – A. Hehir (9’), Penalty try (17’), P. Ryan (21’)
Cons – B. Daly 2/3 (10’, 22’)
TEAMS
OLD GLORY DC
1 Will Vakalahi, 2 Oisin O’Neill, 3 Dante Lopresti, 4 Mason McIlwee, 5 Tyler Barberi, 6 Dacoda Worth, 7 Fred Wintermantel, 8 Josh Brown (capt.), 9 Michael Reid, 10 John Stapleton, 11 Vetekina Malafu, 12 Selby Niu, 13 Zack Forro, 14 Ryan Burroughs, 15 Nick Kuhl
Replacements: 16 Mo Katz, 17 Wale Williams, 18 Sam Morris, 19 Ayemere Oiyemhonlan, 20 Guy Lopresti, 21 Sean Hartig, 22 John Davis, 23 John Sage
SHANNON
1 Conor Glynn, 2 Jordan Prenderville, 3 Tony Cusack, 4 Luke Moylan, 5 Ronan Coffey (capt.), 6 Kelvin Brown, 7 Charlie Carmody, 8 Colm Heffernan, 9 Aran Hehir, 10 John Bateman, 11 Eathon Moloney, 12 Jack O’Donnell, 13 Patrick Ryan, 14 Darren Gavin, 15 Ben Daly
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Derek Summers (USAR)
Attendance: 2,173
