Shamrocks 30 – Home Team 35 – June 28th 2025

Woonoona Shamrocks suffered a heartbreaking 35-30 defeat away from home in what proved to be a very high-scoring and entertaining match. Despite some brilliant individual performances and a gutsy team effort, the Rocks fell just five points short in a thriller that had everything rugby fans could ask for.

Ben Ridgway delivered a fantastic effort that kept Shamrocks competitive throughout the contest, contributing 16 points through two tries, two conversions, and two penalty goals. His ability to score points from multiple sources demonstrated the versatility and skill that has made him such a crucial captain/coach and player for the team this season.

The match began with both teams trading early scores, setting the tone for what would become a see-saw battle. Timothy Lewis and Harry Parsons crossed for the home side in the opening exchanges, with Hamish Pinn converting both efforts to establish a 14-0 lead that threatened to put the match beyond Shamrocks’ reach.

However, Shamrocks responded magnificently through tries from Ben Ridgway, Hagen Degarnham, and Jacobus Newhouse, with Ben converting two of the three efforts to bring the visitors back into contention. His accuracy with the boot proved crucial in keeping Shamrocks within striking distance throughout the contest.

The home team answered back through Monty Goulder, whose try was expertly converted by Hamish Pinn to maintain their advantage. Pinn’s goal-kicking performance was exemplary, successfully converting five of the five tries to contribute 10 crucial points to his team’s victory.

Ben Ridgway’s second try demonstrated the team’s ability to strike from anywhere on the field, and the following conversion gave Shamrocks hope of securing what would have been a memorable away victory. The momentum seemed to be shifting in favour of the Shamrocks as they built pressure in crucial areas of the field.

The contest remained tight throughout, with two more penalty goals, and it was this kicking that kept Shamrocks in touch and demonstrated the Second Grade’s willingness to be competitive at the breakdown, forcing infringements from the opposition that is often a feature of this team this season.

The home side sealed their victory through additional tries from Hamish Mclean and a second effort from Harry Parsons, both converted by the reliable Pinn. These scores came at crucial moments and ultimately proved to be the difference between the two teams on the day.

The match featured numerous tactical substitutions as both coaching staffs managed their squads throughout the intense contest. For Shamrocks, the introduction of key players like Liam Clunn for Bryce Wellman and Finn Kiefer for Damien Trevillion demonstrated the depth available to the coaching staff.

Other significant changes included Andres Gill replacing Maxwell Murray, Lochie Mason coming on for Max King, and Cooper Gregory taking over from both Finn O’Connor and Charlie Philp at different stages. Jamie Peckitt’s introduction for Samuel Foulger added fresh energy when it was most needed.

The tactical rotations reflected the physical nature of the contest and the coaching staff’s commitment to maintaining intensity throughout the full 80 minutes. The quality of the replacements showed the squad depth that has been building throughout the season.

Despite the narrow defeat, Shamrocks can take enormous pride in their performance against quality opposition on their home ground. The team’s ability to score 30 points away from home and remain competitive until the final whistle demonstrated the character and skill that define this group.

It was another Ridgway that seemed to be everywhere on the day. Will Ridgway’s performance was a sight to see and his tackling in defence was outstanding. Damien Trevillion pulled on the boots once more to make a significant contribution and that effort symbolised the spirit of this squad.

The Shamrock defensive effort was built on solid contributions from across the squad. In attack, Hagen Degarnham and Jacobus Newhouse both crossed the whitewash to demonstrate the attacking threats Shamrocks possess throughout their backline and forward pack.

This narrow defeat will be difficult to accept given how close Shamrocks came to securing a memorable away victory. However, the performance provides excellent momentum heading into future fixtures and demonstrates that this team can compete with anyone when they execute their game plan effectively.

The five-point margin highlights the fine lines that often determine the outcome of rugby matches at this level. Shamrocks will be confident that with players in the squad returning from injuries as well as small improvements in key areas, victories in these types of contests are well within their reach.

You can watch a video of the match here:

https://app.veo.co/matches/20250628-2nd-grade-vs-bowral-14fa178c

By Shamus Ruckus, Woonoona Shamrocks RUFC