MATCH REPORT BY GERRY MURPHY

Saturday 13 September 2025.

Trinity  50  KCS Old Boys  0

KCS Old Boys started well and showed that they had plenty of ideas and some talented runners.

Some good handling took them into Trinity territory but a fine clearing kick from Adam Sheehy, making his full debut at fly half, penned then back. They came again but then a sharp interception by Olly Wilcox saw him sprint clear and sail between the posts for the home team’s opening score.  Ben Telfer converted, and it was 7-0 after only 2 minutes. The visitors responded well, and Telfer athletically fielded a huge kick ahead and cleared his lines.  Trinity tackling was sound again this week with strong hits from Josh Joubert and Archie McMillan.  KCS came again and it took a fine turnover from Olly Hubbard to end a promising move. In the first scrum Quinn Singh performed a hook against the head, a skill rarely seen these days and the Trinity eight, with the ageless Dom Plumb and debutant Lewis Chin-Yu to the fore, was clearly in charge. An injury to a KCS player delayed proceedings but Trinity were soon back in contention. Concentration was sharp as they faced a stiff wind.  Sheehy found another good touch and there were further tackles from Max Farrell and Archie McMillan.  Tom Wilcox produced a turnover and Trinity set up a fine handling move with Telfer making a break.  His strong running created a scoring opportunity, but Kings defended well and won a penalty. Tom Wilcox produced two more powerful tackles and a turnover before a reshuffle saw him move into the scrum, with Andy Dean coming on in the centre.

Further strong carries by Tom Wilcox, Chin-Yu and Fuad Agbalaya kept the pressure on, and Kings conceded a number of penalties.  Mids opted for scrums close in but, surprisingly, failed to break through a dour visitors’ defence. The sequence led to a card for the visitors and Mids decided to kick a penalty, with Telfer obliging for a 10-0 lead after 26 minutes. Kings did not help themselves when the restart did not go 10 and from the scrum Farooq Agbalaya picked up and charged into their half. Good hands gave Telfer the chance to make a strong run and then the ball went left through Joubert and Singh before Olly Wilcox picked up brilliantly off the floor and scored on the left. The interval score was 15-0 to Trinity.

Kings were really up against it in the second half.  They had lost some players through injury and still had a man in the bin. A card in turn for Sheehy for some inappropriate language in a question to the referee, did nothing to even things up as, with the wind at their backs, Trinity began to turn the screw. A good carry by Hubbard led to a ruck from which Joubert picked up and backed himself to take on the defence, outpace them and cross for a try which Telfer converted after 45 minutes. Trinity were now in complete control. Ben Vaillant was jumping well in the line out and also won a turnover. Joubert spotted another opportunity and was quickly through the gap to score his second try, converted by Telfer with a fine kick from far out. He was now given a deserved rest after impressing all afternoon with his catching running and kicking.

Kings were a demoralised side, and in the latter stages were playing with 12 men as they ran out of replacements. Trinity took advantage. A break by Joubert set up a platform for the forwards and Fuad scored. Straight from the kick-off Farooq picked up and sent the ball through the hands and the move ended with Singh clear with three men outside him who were not needed as he dotted down. Soon after this Max Farrell was able to show his paces as he ran through for Trinity’s seventh try. Sheehy converted all three tries and Trinity could have had more if they had not been careless with another move when they butchered a very easy chance.

Mercifully the referee called a halt, and Trinity had their second big win of the campaign. There is no doubt that they will come up against much stronger opposition in the matches ahead.