A visit to league leaders on Friday night couldn’t have been better timed and the coaching during the week focused on correcting some of the weaknesses of the Galwegians game, the players were anxious to deliver again. The evening was still and dry with a slight chill and the pitch had seen a lot of match play, however conditions were good, not that either team paid much heed.
Loughrea started strong with organised attacks and all of the side-line support and pounced to score the first try and conversion, giving belief that they could repeat the rare defeat they inflicted on Westport at the season opener. But Westport have learnt to absorb such early setbacks and didn’t succumb to such a setback, as once they did and grew in resilience to score a masterful forwards crash and grab drive over the opposition line with conversion.
Now in the ascendancy Westport defended resolutely and attacked with greater threat but conceded a rare penalty deep in their half to allow Loughrea retake the lead with 3 points which took us to a half time score of Loughrea 10 - Westport 7.
Loughrea came out confident and strong in the second half, wanting to put Westport to the sword. Again Westport defended with equal purpose and found it harder to penetrate the Loughrea defence in the centre or on either wing, as the speed and depth of the rushing defence foiled many a Westport attack. However it was the very thing that was exploited by the Westport flyhalf who took the scum half's pass across to find a hole in the rushing defence, sidestep the fullback tackle and run in a superb individual try under the posts & converting for a 10- 14 lead. The home team's purpose wasn’t helped by a 5 minute yellow card and like the game 5 days earlier Westport were to keep the opposition scoreless in the second half and assert their determination, by scoring another forwards driving try, late on, to put the game away.
Final Score: Loughrea 10 - Westport 19
Focus now is finishing their league commitments with wins to secure Cup competition and take the field to face whoever may come with no fear whatsoever, Come on The Port!
