18 Feb U13 Boys Produce Superb Second-Half Comeback
Mullingar 24 Navan 33
Sunday 15th February|Mullingar RFC
Navan Scorers
Tries: Shay Smyth (3), Tadhg Sheridan, Alex Patterson.
Conversions: Freddie Davis (2), Harry Russell (2).
Navan RFC U13 Boys made the early Sunday morning trip to Mullingar, and huge credit must go to all the players and parents for turning up sharp and ready. A special mention goes to the dedicated skiers who even cut short their holidays to make it home in time for Friday night’s local GAA disco. Judging by the footwork on display in the second half, those dance-floor rehearsals certainly paid off!
At half-time Navan trailed 12–7, but what followed was a superb response. The lads regrouped brilliantly, showed real resilience, and came out with renewed intensity. The introduction of the “bomb squad” brought fresh energy and physicality, helping Navan seize momentum and power through to a well-earned 33–24 victory.
Navan started brightly, and it was Tadhg Sheridan who set the tone early. Breaking from the base of a solid scrum at number eight, he powered through one tackle, stepped another defender, and outpaced a third before grounding under the posts, a brilliant individual try.
The forwards provided an excellent platform throughout. Lineout and scrum were standout areas of the game, with Gene Murray and Tadhg Sheridan dominating in the air, while Ben Battersby delivered consistently accurate throws. The scrum was equally impressive, providing clean ball and territory all morning.
Captain Cillian Murtagh led from the front at tighthead, setting the physical tone and keeping the team focused. Nico Riza, making his debut in the front row, slotted in seamlessly with a composed and hardworking performance.
Trailing at the break, Navan’s response was clinical.
Shay Smyth was outstanding, claiming a superb hat-trick and showcasing his pace and finishing instincts.
Alex Patterson scored the crucial second-last try, finishing a sweeping move from right wing to left, side-stepping defenders with footwork that wouldn’t have looked out of place on Friday night’s dance floor.
At scrum-half, Conor Lyons looked completely at home after switching positions, delivering crisp service, making smart decisions, and putting in some excellent tackles around the fringes.
The Player of the Match award went to Cian Murphy, who moved from the wing into the forwards and absolutely shone. Big tackles, strong carries, excellent handling, and a commanding presence around the pitch capped a tremendous performance. In further good news, Cian will captain the side next week.
James Burns was immense throughout, contributing heavily to the team effort across the park.
There is still work to be done, particularly around tackling and running at pace, but the effort, attitude and energy from the entire squad were top class.
Attention now turns to Friday night’s Leinster League clash under the lights at home to Boyne, and another exciting opportunity for this group to build momentum.
Navan would like to thank the Mullingar coaches and parents for their hospitality.
(John, Jamie & Coaches)
Navan RFC U13 Boys Squad:
Henry McGivern, Reynolds Casey, Cillian Murtagh, Ben Battersby, Tommy Maguire, Gene Murray, John Graham, Briain Kennedy, James Burns, Ethan McKenna, Alex Patterson, Freddie Davis, Kealan Rogers, Jack Macken, Tadhg Sheridan, Hugh Donnelly, Conor Lyons, Eoghan Clarke, Cian Murphy, Leon Irwin Byrne, David Feeney, Senan O’Neill, Shay Smyth, Harry Russell, William Kelly.