In the first game after the Christmas break Chorca Dhuibhne were always going to be a bit rusty, it took twenty minutes for them to find any rhythm and put some decent phases together, unfortunately at this stage the home team were 5-0 down after a push over scrum. This only served to wake up the Dingle side, following some great inter play from backs and forwards Johnny Curran sent Kevin Moriarty racing up the touch line, he fed inside to Alan Devan who then found Ciaran Slattery, he was caught just before the line but from the resulting ruck the excellent Ciaran Collins threw another trademark dummy and raced to score under the posts. Two long range penalties from Curran brought Chorca Dhuibhne to 13-5 at half time.

The second half began like the first ended with the home side spreading the ball wide at every opportunity and opening up the Kilrush defence at will. Two of these sweeping moves led to the excellent Slattery feeding Curran to race through the defence to finish in style. These scores left Chorca Dhuibhne 26-8 up with twenty minutes to go, some huge surges forward from man of the match Conachur Begley and excellent tactical kicking from Sean Collins kept the Kilrush team pinned in their own half. However, a lack of match fitness and some complacency let the visitors back in the game, two converted scores left the game hanging on a knife’s edge and with 10 minutes to go Kilrush trailed by four points. A huge defensive effort from the home side with massive hits from Gavan Curran, Connal O’Ciobhain, Bernard Galvin and Eoghan McIlroy ensured that Rugbai Chorca Dhuibhne adavanced to the second round of the Munster Junior Cup where they will face Division 2 side Muskerry.

On a freezing day in Ennis Rugbai Chorca Dhuibhne warmed all the hearts of all involved in the club with a sizzling display of attacking rugby which left Scarif battered and bruised!
From the kick off the Dingle side showed their intent to run the ball at any chance, the long lay off and new combinations led to a few mistakes and turn over’s, the home side capitalised from one of these errors to sneak over from a 5 meter scrum. This served to weke up Chorca Dhuibhne and following some sustained pressure the excellent Ciaran O’Coillean threw an audacious dummy and left the cover for dead to score a wonderful individual try under the posts. Cathal Mitchels conversion left the scores at 7-5.
Unfortunately a lack of concentration led to another error and allowed Scarif to score another unconverted try. This left the half time score 10-10. Some strong words at half time seemed to wake the visitors up and they began the second half a different side.
Great carries from Conochuar Begley and Conall O Ciobhain set the tone for an unbelievable second half display. Each player from one to fifteen put their bodies on the line and tackled everything that moved, some great inter play from backs and forwards set up a three on two near the half way line and the strong running Billy O’Conner set Gavan Curran flying up the wing to finish a beautiful try. From here the rusty team started to turn into a well drilled machine who can mix it with the best in the league. Savage tackling from Eoin Houlihan, Colm O’Shea and Eoin Firtear laid a foundation for the backs who moved the ball through the excellent Mitchel and the talismanic Ciaran Slattery. It was one of these sweeping movements that put Billy O’Conner racing through a gap to finish under the posts.
This left the visitors 22-13 up with ten minutes to go and in search of a bonus point. They were then dealt a serious blow when the influential Justin Burgess went down hard and unfortunately cracked a bone in his leg, this is a huge blow for the team and we wish him a speedy recovery. However the lads dug in and got back to the task in hand, a massive line out win from Bernard Galvin some strong rucking from James Dooley, Eoin McIlroy and Conall O’Ciobhain set up good field position from which Ciaran O’Coilean sped over for another magnificent try and the icing on the cake for a wonderful team effort.
Rugbai Chorca Dhuibhne welcome Abbeyfeal back west on the 27th of December for a huge game, support would be greatly appreciated with free hot whiskeys during the game this could will be a great occasion and a chance to see West Kerrys most exciting side in action. By Shane O’Rourke

Beidh Cumann Rugbaí Chorca Dhuibhne ag reáchtáil oíche Damhsa is Dinnéar i dTigh Baile an tSagairt ar an 5 Mí na Nollag. Beidh béile trí chúrsa le fíon ar fáil agus ceol á sheinm ag an banna Cajun cáiliúil, Two Time Polka, le dioscó ar siúil ina dhiaidh. Níl ach €65 an duine ar na ticéid don oíche iontach seo. Beidh crannchur ar an oíche le oíche in óstán 5 réalta i lár Bhaile Átha Cliath agus dhá thicéid go dtí Éire in aghaidh an Bhreatain Bhig i bPáirc Uí Chrócaigh mar phríomh duais na hoíche. Raghadh an t-airgead i gcabhair ar an gcumann chun costais na foirne ar fad a chlúdach agus iad a choimeád sa tsiúil. Tá suas le deich foireann éagsúla faoi stiúir ag an gcumann a thugann deis d’idir óg is aosta, cailíní is buachaillí rugbaí a imirt. Bíonn tacaíocht ag teastáil ó urraithe, baill is muintir na leithinse i gcoitinne chun a leithéid do áis a cuir ar fáil. Dúirt Cathaoirleach an Chumainn, Mick Dooley, “Tá Rugbaí Chorca Dhuibhne deich mbliana ar an bhfód anois agus déanfaidh an oíche seo ceiliúradh ar sin chomh maith le aon rud eile. Tá an-oíche geallta, cuirfidh sé tús le imeachtaí na Nollag agus tabharfaidh sé an-chabhair don gcumann.” Le tuilleadh eolais faoin oíche is féidir teagmháil le Adrian sa tsiopa Mountain Man sa Daingean nó glaoch air ag 087-2976569.