Tallaght Outlaws 0 – 34 Dublin Rhinos

Scoring:

2nd Quarter:
Robbie Smith 8yd TD run (pat Sean Power) 7-0.
Sean Power 25yd FG (holder Dan Breslin) 10-0.
Kevin Carroll 40yd INT return TD (pat blocked) 16-0.

4th Quarter:
Sean Power 20yd FG (holder Dan Breslin) 19-0.
Pat McMillan 55yd INT return TD (2pt conversion run by Sean Power) 27-0.
Dan Breslin 45yd INT return TD (pat Sean Power) 34-0.

Venue: Castleknock College

The sun came out in full force to get behind the Rhinos as they picked up not only their first win of the season, but their first win as a new team. The Rhinos played host to cross town rivals the Tallaght Outlaws in what was a clean but hard hitting affair.

After winning the toss and receiving the ball, the Outlaws offense was shut down from an impressive Rhinos defense which set rookie Pat McMillan up for his first punt return of the game. A nice return from McMillan was marred by a Rhinos penalty that took the ball back into their own half. Some strong running from FB Paul O'Toole, RB Robbie Smith and QB Sean Power pushed the Rhino's offense to the Outlaws goal line where a 4th and short QB sneak was stuffed by the Outlaws defense. The Outlaws offense starting inside their own 10 yard line managed to get a first down before being again forced to punt the ball. The Rhinos offense started to move the ball along the ground and early on in the 2nd quarter managed to punch it in from 6 yards out with a run from Robbie Smith, the extra point kicked by Sean Power made it 7-0 to the Rhinos. Another strong showing from the Rhinos defense led by LB Nick Newby with strong performances from Dan Breslin and Kevin Carroll forced the Outlaws to turn the ball over on downs setting up another long offensive drive for the Rhinos offense which was capped with a 25 yard field goal by kicker Sean Power who was 2 for 2 on the day. The Outlaws, now down 10-0 with time running out in the first half started to move to the passing game and after a few key completions to their wide outs, CB Kevin Carroll made a break on a pass to intercept it and found blocking up front from Dan Breslin and Nick Newby who led Carroll into the endzone for a touchdown. The extra point was blocked by the Outlaws which left the score at 16-0. The Outlaws had their best drive of the game following the interception as they tried to put a score on the board before the half ran out. Outlaws QB #8 found his wide receivers again as they moved the chains repeatedly into the Rhinos half before time expired on them.

The second half continued much like the first with strong performances from the Rhinos defense managing to contain the Outlaws offense. The Rhinos only turnover of the day came in the 3rd quarter as QB Sean Power was looking for TE Barry Bolton down the sideline which was picked off by an Outlaws safety for no return, which resulted in the 3rd quarter remaining scoreless. The 4th quarter scoring started with Sean Power converting his second field goal of the game, this time from 20 yards out which made the score 19-0. As the Outlaws tried to come back they took to the air again, unfortunately the Outlaws QB found CB Pat McMillan who returned an interception 55 yards for the score. A bad snap on the extra point attempt forced kicker Sean Power to use his legs to run with the ball which he took into the endzone to make the score 27-0. A second errant pass from the Outlaws found its way into the hands of strong safety Dan Breslin who followed blocking from Nick Newby all the way to the endzone for the third defensive touchdown of the day, when the extra point was converted the score was 34-0. The Outlaws, now against the clock and still wanting to put some points on the board continued to pass the ball which led to the 4th interception of the game, this time by LB Barry Bolton which was returned to the Outlaws goal line. The Rhinos took a knee to end the game.

The Rhinos look now to the next game, away to division leaders the Dublin Rebels.