SOLDIERS @ DRAGONS April 19th '09 2pm
Midlands Soldiers 00-42 Dublin Dragons

Scorers
1st Quarter:Dragons 23yrd run Tom Lenihan:
Dragons 3 yrd run Tom Lenihan: 1xpt is good Liam Rowsome 5yrd run
2nd quarter:Dragons 15 yrd run Tom Lenihan:
3rd Quarter:Dragons 15 yrd run Liam Rowsome: 1xpt is good John Durrad 5 yrd run
Dragons 1 yrd drive Rob Olwill: 1xpt is good 5 yrd pass to Paul Keane
Dragons Safety Terry Heeney:
4th Quarter:Dragons 15 yrd run Liam Rowsome: 1xpt is good 5 yrd pass to Al Burke

Game Report:
It was the turn of the Midlands Soldiers to travel to sunny Lucan for the first of their two games against the Dublin Dragons. The Dragons went into the game 0-3 having lost to the Craigavon Cowboys the previous Sunday fortnight. The Soldiers too had their share of defeats, going into the game 0-2, with heavy losses to Trinity and the UCD Sentinels. So, with both teams having something to prove, this was always going to be a tough, but well matched contest.

The Soldiers started well, running the ball 16 yards on their first drive, but the Dragons Defense was rock solid and stopped the Soldiers from getting into any type of rhythm. Just over 5 minutes into the 1st Quarter the Dragons got their first score from a 23 yard Tom Lenihan run. But the Dragons weren’t finished yet. After making some major yardage, they found themselves on the Soldiers 3 yard line and Lenihan ran in for his second TD of the game. Liam Rowsome clocked up the extra point for the Dragons and that left the 1st Quarter at 0-13.

The beginning of the 2nd Quarter saw both teams getting a sack on their QB’s and then the Soldiers forced a turnover. The Soldiers Quarterback launched a 16 yard pass, which connected with their WR #18, and he ran the 29 yards to the Endzone. However, the TD was not awarded as the line judge deemed he had stepped out of bounds. The Soldiers Offense almost scored on their next play, with an incomplete pass to #49 in the Endzone. Then a bad snap to the Soldiers QB, meant he had to scramble and his run was halted after a crunching tackle from Dragons Linebacker John Durrad. The Dragons Offense still had fire in their belly and began to make strides again. A 29 yard run from #28 Liam Rowsome brought the Dragons to the 15 yard line. The next play saw the ball handed off to #47 Tom Lenihan and he ran in for his third score. As with the first TD and to the Soldiers credit, the Dragons failed to convert the extra point. The score was now 0-19 at half time.

The 3rd Quarter saw the Dragons running game come into it’s own, with Rowsome and Lenihan gaining crucial yardage, due in part to a strong Dragons offensive line. A 15 yard run play, saw Rowsome get another TD for the Dragons and #10 Durrad ran in the extra point. The Soldiers Offence while trying to get into some sort of rhythm, fumbled the ball and it was subsequently turned over. This time the Dragons used their passing game and a 10 yard short pass got them up to the Soldiers Goal line. Dragons Quarterback Rob Olwill then drove the ball over the line for the TD. The extra point was converted after a superb catch in the Endzone by #81 Paul Keane from a QB pass. Once again the Soldiers Quarterback was put under immense pressure from the Dragons Defense. On a third down he was forced into his own Endzone by #88 Terry Heeney and the Dragons scored a safety. The Dragons made the most of the last three minutes of the Quarter and worked their way up to the Soldiers 30 yard line.

With some good running and passing of the ball early in the 4th Quarter, the Dragons found themselves in a scoring position again.
The Dragons QB tossed the ball to #28 Rowsome and he ran in the 15 yard TD. Good hands from #35 Al Burke in the Endzone, converted the extra point. The Dragons Offense didn’t have it all their way though, with #50 of the Soldiers getting two sacks on the Dragons QB. The Soldiers Defense kept fighting and deep into the 4th Quarter #49 for the Soldiers intercepted a Dragons pass and the Soldiers had a first down on the Dragons 19 yard line. With the clock running down the Soldiers QB threw a 13 yard pass connecting with WR #18 on the two yard line, but the Dragons Defense kept him from crossing the line.

The game finished 0-42 to the Dragons. The atmosphere of the game was good from both teams and neither team gave up until the final whistle.