Old Gaelic Wins Season Opener over Potomac Exiles

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Old Gaelic hosted D1 Potomac Exiles’ Rugby Club on a chilly and sunny Saturday at Double D Ranch. The 2020 season opener did not disappoint the home faithful.

After some back and forth action that saw both teams get within scoring range, it was Gaelic that marched down the pitch and patiently executed its goal line attack. The unselfish play was rewarded when #12 Paul Sommerville found wing Kory Harris out wide for the first of his three tries on the day.

Potomac came right back and was knocking on the door when an interception attempt went begging, and PERC marched in for the tying score. With both conversion attempts missed, the two combatants ended the first 20 minute session at a stalemate, 5-5.

With subs on in the second half Shippensburg’s Chris Armbrust took the pass from Richard “Squirrel” Recordon and dotted down. Harris’ conversion gave the home team a 12-5 lead that held through the second 20-minute session.

After two tries from the visitors to open the third period, it was the OG forwards’ turn to get in on the action. First it was lock Dante Ngo dotting down a pick, then flanker Alex Diegel took a penalty tap from Hart and found a gap on the left-hand side of the defense to put one down against his old ‘mates. That was enough to give Gaelic the lead heading into the final stand, 24-19.

In the final period, it was all hands on deck and Coach Roth put on the boots to steer the ship at 10. His veteran presence was felt as he found a gap from West Shore/Mount St. Mary’s Colby Rigg, then fed Harris for an impressive 60M try. Harris then found space again, and converted his own for a 36-19 lead. PERC would pick up the last try of the day, dotting a late one down for the final score, 36-24.

Man of the Match: Kory Harris. Kory scored three tries, but was equally impressive on defense covering ground to recover and counter a number of Exiles’ kicks to space.

Important Spring Dates

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1/28 – Team Workout

1/30 – Tour Date

2/4 – Team Workout

2/6 – Tour Date

2/11 – Team Workout

2/13 – Perry County Tour – Now with more smoke

2/18 – Outdoor Practice Start or Team Workout

3/7 Possible Home Friendly vs. PERC (Potomac Exiles Rugby Club)

3/8 Possible Maul Crawl™

3/29 Team trip to watch Old Glory v. RUNY

3/14 vs NP

3/21 @ PWM

3/28 make-up date 

4/4 open

4/11 open (Easter weekend) 

4/18 playoffs (semifinal) 

4/25 playoffs (final) 

Old Gaelic Finishes Fall Strong with 58-10 Win

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Old Gaelic took on the rival Lancaster Roses on Saturday with the Susquehanna Cup on the line. The visitors had no answer on this day, as OG secured a 58-10 home victory to end the fall standing alone in second place in the division!

The scoring started early with a good scrum by Lancaster turning into points for the Black and Gold. Lancaster stole the scrum, but an ensuing mishandle was scooped up by #10 Brady Reisman who took the ball the rest of the way for the early 5-0 lead. The roses struck back 10 minutes later and the combatants were locked up at 5-5 before the Gaelic attack took over.

A well-executed 8-9-11 play from Curtis Brillhart to Captain Brian Hart, finished by Man of the Match Austin Waugh sparked a 46-0 run to dazzle the home crowd. Next it was big #12 Lee Townsend who crashed across the line at 31′, then Waugh’s second two minutes later, then prop Sergio Acala finishing off a series of pick and goes just before halftime.

The score held for 10 minutes into the second stand before flanker Alex Diegel spotted a gap top open things up in the second half. Reisman’s boot was well on display as he followed up with a penalty kick and a drop goal to go with his four conversions. Wing Kory Harris got in on the action with try at 70 before Lancaster got one in. At 76′ Hart dished out his fourth assist of the day for Townsend’s second try, and hit the conversion for the game’s final score, 58-10!

The win puts Gaelic at 4-2 and in position to finish the Spring season strong and secure a first round home playoff game. It was an injury-plagued season that saw games without its most experienced scrummaging prop, a big try scorer at 13 and other key players in and out of the lineup throughout the season. Lesser teams would have found itself outside of playoff contention, but OG’s “Next Man Up,” team-first mentality rose to the occasion time and again.

Well done by all Gaelic players, coaches, administrators and supporters! Keep an eye out for the Holiday Party, team award votings, get togethers at Evergain, and team workouts.

Old Gaelic Rugby Back on the Winning Side with 48-27 Victory over Whitehorse

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Old Gaelic hosted Phoenixville-Whitehorse in its second home game of the season and gave its fans plenty to cheer about, early and often.

The scoring started just a minute in with wing Richard “Squirrel” Recordon picking off a pass and taking it back 80 meters for the early Gaelic advantage. Hooker Nick Dettorre scored next, at the back of a perfectly-executed lineout maul, followed by Birthday Boy Curtis Brillhart at 20′ after a little scrum down razzle dazzle.

With the forwards enjoying a standout day, locks Sergio Acala Dante Ngo dotted down at 27′ and 33′, respectively and fly-half Brady Reisman’s conversions made it 29-0. Just before half, Man of the Match Dettorre scored his second, with the conversion making it 36-0 good guys at the break.

Three minutes into the second half, Shippensburg alum Larry Madden broke the ice for the visitors, and old friend Brian Calaman’s boot made it 36-7. Center Jase Martin broke through six minutes later, however, and there would be no comeback on this day. Whitehorse fought to the end to get a league point, but Dettorre put this one on ice with his third and final try at 74′, as Gaelic cruised to the 48-27 win .

Old Gaelic Takes Home Opener, 39-24

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Old Gaelic faced off against a hungry South Jersey team in front of a full crowd in the 2019 home opener. An early stumble saw the visitors take a 7-0 lead, as Old Gaelic struggled to click in the early going. The home faithful were soon rewarded, however as #13 Jase Martin got the scoring started off an assist from Captain Hart to tie the game at seven apiece 30 minutes in.

Fly half Brady Reisman extended the lead to 10-7 with a PK, then it was prop Frank Weaver who benefitted from a patient Gaelic attack deep in South Jersey territory, scoring a pivotal try just before halftime. With the good Reisman conversion, the opponents headed into the break with the home team up 17-7.
Gaelic seized firm control in the first series of the second half, showing there would be no upset on this day. The stolen kickoff was offloaded to Weaver, who barreled forward to put Jersey under pressure. The ensuing forward hit-up was then offloaded to veteran flanker Curtis Brillhart, who took it the rest of the way to make it 20-7 Gold.
Now halfway through a commanding 39-0 run it was eight-man Lee Townsend who crashed across the try line next, followed by Austin Waugh at 60′. Before South Jersey could recover, Reisman dotted one one down, and it was 39-7 to the home team with 12 minutes to go.
Unfortunately from there the Gaelic defense cracked, giving up three tries in the final six minutes as South Jersey left with a closer scoreline and bonus point. But the victory was sealed and OG won the day, 39-24!

Spring Workouts and Dues

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We begin Power Train workouts on Tuesday, January 15th.  These start at 6:30 p.m. and run about one hour.  Please be ready to go at 6:30, no just arriving then.  These will continue each Tuesday for the foreseeable future.  In addition to these workouts, Dan Roth has set up the following dates at Twin Ponds in Mechanicsburg.

Jan 6,  Sunday 10am-noon

Jan 27,  Sunday 10am-noon

Feb 10,  Sunday 10am-noon

Feb 24,  Sunday 10am-noon

I will have an email out in the next week or two on spring dues that incorporate the cost of these winter workouts and will update this post with that information.