The Shoalhaven Ex Servicemen’s first grade team travelled to Ocean Park, Woonoona for their game but experienced their first loss of the season, losing 45-27 to Shamrocks.
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Shoals opened the scoring in the fifth minute of play when full back Ava Raboitoga, who flashed up from the deep to make the extra man, put his winger Mark Brandon away for a 30-metre race to the try line. Shamrocks hit back immediately with a run-away try, and its conversion took them to a two-point lead.
Shoals then scored in the 15th minute with a solo effort try to Steve Brandon who weaved his way past defenders to score out wide to give his team the lead. That was the end of the scoring, for a while, as the two teams settled in for period of hard, fast and open play.
Shamrocks broke the deadlock in the 31st minute with a fine try to their winger and they followed this up with another good back line try just before half time to lead 19-10.
Shamrocks came out of the break in rare form, racing in four tries in the space of 20 minutes to surge to a 45-10 lead and virtually seal the match.
Shoals, as they do so often, fought back with a tigerish display of desperation rugby and crossed the line through Mark Brandon, Ross Dunlop and Steve Brandon With just the one conversion of their five tries Shoals had climbed the score board to limit the difference in their points’ loss to 45-27 while achieving a competition bonus point from their try-scoring efforts.
Shoals play Kiama next Saturday then are away against Vikings the following Saturday. Shoals return to Rugby Park for their clash with Bowral on Saturday, May 26 which will also be the season’s Ladies Day.
The WorkforceXS/Soilco Shoals’ second grade team came back courageously in the second half to just lose out to Shamrocks. They went to the break down 10-0, but won the second half scoring seven points to nil to just lose out overall.
Connor Smith, who played strongly throughout the match, gave his team a winning chance when he broke free to score with 10 minutes left on the clock but Shamrocks defence held tight to see them take the win.
Shoals’ third grade team played strongly, and after leading 10-6 at the break, went out to a 17-6 lead not long into the second half. Shamrocks slowly whittled the lead away with a converted try and a penalty goal to draw within one point.
Then with just 50 seconds left on the clock they crashed through Shoals’ defence close to the ruck and raced 40 metres to score the winning try.
