Lansdowne 3 Clontarf 13

Gentlemen, the Hermanator has left te building.

10/04/2010
After a winter of discontent the killer bs were chomping at the bit to reenter the gladiatorial arena following a couple of weeks of inactivity. The cup awaited. The opponents were Clontarf, flying high in section A. This was not quite mission impossible, but it was mission quite tricky.

The sun shone over ballycorus, a testament to our northside friends that this was the sunny southeast. The game kicked off in good spirits with a fairly even ebb and flow between two free running teams. Things change in the blink of en eye, and within minutes we had lost our talismanic pack leader rob moore and conceded a soft try. Indeed it would be injuries that would be the difference on the day as we also lost peter papa smurf geoghegan with a busted nose which meant a complete reshuffle in the pack. However it was good to see Captain caveman reid back on two legs with a barnstorming performance reminiscant of the old days before his b@llock gave way. Speaking of b@llocks, the team owes a huge debt to our faithful frenchman M Portier, not only did he come over for the weekend and play, but he also played about 3 different positions!
When things got tight with another try, Millan Alonso was brought in to steady the ship ( never thought id hear myself say those words!!) as Keith Herman kept probing. Alas the whitewash was to be elusive despite some good running from the slippery justin comer and Ross Bloomfield who impressed on the wing. Captain Gants settled in to the 15 jersey well and was given room to launch a few trademark cannons, most of which were dealt with well by a talented tarf backline.
Alas, it was not to be, having been tantalisingly close for most of the match a final penalty left the spread at 10 and the season came to a close with a whimper rather than a roar, i think the general feeling was of wanting more. This of courses raises its own concerns as you shouldnt really have a need for more if you give everything....

The game will also be marked by the retirement of a great killer bees servant and ex captain Keith Herman. Keith has been a permanent fixture in the J4 backline since before the last war and has more than ably covered all positions, but none as effectively as this, his last year at outhalf. His absense will leave a massive hole to fill both as a player and as a friend and colleague.

Gentlemen, the Hermanator has left te building.

Lansdowne 18 Barnhall 25

Nice Cords Kev!

06/03/2010
Apparently you cannot truly deserve to win a final until you lose a final... which should put us in pole position for a trophy soon!

Watching a medal ceremony take place with the team that you came so close to beating is tough, really tough. But these moments make us stronger and more determined to go on.

The performance against Barnhall was, at times, the best performance all year because the fightback was brilliant. If there was a winger in place of a 40+ year old prop/coach at the final whistle this match could have been drawn...(see last photo) but if my auntie had balls she'd be my uncle...

Lansdowne have shown one big talent this year: You learn to adapt to the game during the game itself, and play the correct tempo to beat the opposition. The problem is we keep this talent wrapped up until the 60th minute and then unleash it! Consider how the game would have panned out if we spent the first half beating up and wearing down Barnhall... and then played our normal second half... Sometimes we play rugby to win and score tries, and sometimes we play rugby to inflict a beating on someone.
Good teams can do both.

Ultimately there is loads of talent here, indeed consider how many regulars were not playing on Saturday. Good defensive performance from Oisin, nice to see Justin back in centre, Jeff did well at 15. For me the back that showed the right spirit was Keith, in fact i don't remember playing against a better outhalf this season. Its no coincidence that Keith has lost a final or two in his day...

In the forwards Mick Deasy stood out for his combative spirit, indeed the whole backrow had a rare balanced feel to it. Good to see Conor McKenna making a complete nuisance of himself all day, pity we couldn't find the mute button! Also great to see big Kev strip the cords off for a trot.

The next couple of weeks are cup mode. Monkstown will offer us an opportunity to get as close as we can to our best XV for the first round. Please remember that its win or bust from here on in. Every game, every minute may be your last so make every minute count.

Man of the match: Michael Deasy

Lansdowne 3 Greystones 39

It's only a dislocation!

Ballycorus Rd. 27/02/10

During the game on Saturday I found my gaze wandering up past the lead mines above Ballycorus, into the foothills of the Wicklow mountains. Despite the fact that it was almost March, the snowy peaks were a reminder of what has been a harsh and damaging winter. Refocusing on the action in front of me this damage was evident on the pitch also....
Our circumstances are difficult this year, waiting on Monkstowns decision whether we can train or not has been both frustrating and bad for the team focus.
To sum up the difference in the two teams, there are two main issues:
On a weekend where there were not many other games going on, Greystones selected a strong team to do a job..read more on theKiller B's Website

Lansdowne 12 Parkmore 12

Deep Willy, Deep!

Lakelands Park. 20/02/10

Having cast aside a below par Parkmore before Christmas, the Killer Bs knew that this would be a different proposition for a team on a decent roll of undefeated matches. In conditions that could be best described as 'a bit gummy' the Bs entered the fray with a well taken try, which was immediately overtaken by 2 tries from our opponents to leave the half time score 12 - 7. Having lost first choice place kicker Gants with a freak gardening accident in the warm up, Mr Herman deputised.
Unfortunately having not been place kicker for a while stung us.....read more and view photos on the Killer B's Website

Man of the match: Robert Moore

written by Philip McGoldrick

Lansdowne 17 AIB 5

Oisin twitter: 2:30pm KO, 2:33pm having a poo

Ballycorus Rd. 23/01/2010

In a total reversal of fortunes from the earlier season encounter, the killer bees came to the hallowed Ballycorus turf with both the will and the want to make amends..

This was the same AIB team we had met previously, but definately not the same Lansdowne. Lansdowne brave 14 men took to the field as kick off approached. A quick substitution had to be made. Where was Oisin? He was on time this week, he'd been seen in the warm up. The lighter Oisin finally made an appearance 10 mins into the match having been in the toilet having a poop.
In the early exchanges Lansdownes greater desire to keep ball in hand frustrated AIB, with early penalties fron won Gantly distancing the 2 teams. The breakthrough came with Jeff playing in the 15 jersey ...read more and view photos on the Killer B's Website

Man of the Match: Mark Forrest

written by Phil McGoldrick

Lansdowne 7 Barnhall 24

Spilt Milk

Ballycorus Rd. 05/12/2009

It had been a full celestial cycle since our Killer Bees ran out with a narrow victory against Stillorgan. Did the month rest help heal the forwards injuries and compose the flamboyant backline moves?
The simple answer - no. It was almost like a bout of the dreaded swine flu had swept through our squad leaving them displaying lacklustre performance. The usual aggressive performances of people like Adam ‘tight top’ Kavanagh never fully came into stride, whilst our 9 and 10 had a difficult day adapting to their new found relationship.
Bottom line, Barnhall are a good side. They ended our cup run last year and where evens in the league. This year they’re the only unbeaten side, so it goes without saying that we needed to put in a tidy performance to beat them. This was scuppered by two soft tries conceded early on. There seemed to be a lack of aggression in the Killer Bees. Maybe Mr Smith should bring his bearded union leader down to training to jeer up the lads.
It wasn’t too long into the match that Lansdowne demonstrated that they can be organised and fluid. A Munster-like rolling maul sliced through the Barnhall pack like the graceful Gibney working his way through Copper’s clientele. And to cap off Lansdowne’s spell of forward power mixed with Justin ‘on time’ Cormer’s continual sidestepping dizziness, the Killer Bees Brian ‘Spilt milk’ Gahan wormed his way over the try line. Eoin ‘5point drop goal’ Gantly slotted the conversion home to close the gap on Barnhall. But that was the last of the mauling. Decisions, decisions...
Sadly the second half never got going for the Bees. ...read more and view photos on the Killer B's Website

written by Ed Bruce

Lansdowne 6 Stillorgan 3

Champagne Rugby

Ballycorus Rd. 07/11/2009
They say a week is a long time in politics and sport....

In a reversal of fortune remenisciant of a phoenix rising from the ashes of the week beforehand, The killer bs dropped into 'down and dirty' mode to grind out a valuable win against a well drilled, well organised Stillorgan team who felt that Lansdowne were there for the taking. If what we lacked against AIB was character, then redemption was swift and dramatic for many Lansdowne players on saturday.
This was never going to be the kind of match that would turn on a moment of brilliance, both teams were too acutely aware of what was at stake. Ironically, perhaps our problem has been over-reliance on individual acts of heroism, but after that performance, a true team was born... read more on the Killer B's Website

Killer Bs 3 AIB 15

Wet enough for 'The Crab'

31/10/2009 DCU Sports complex

Ok, so lets start with the positives: At least it wasnt raining!

But seriously folks, there were, believe it or not, one or two positives.. The performance of the scrum was very strong, the performance of one or two key players like Brian Gahan and most notably Rob Moore were very good. And thats about it.

Now moving on to the 'where did it all go wrong' section.... read more on the Killer B's Website

Lansdowne 41 Monkstown 22

Bye Bye Nicky Minnesota

Ballycorus Rd. 17/10/2009
On a beautiful autumnal day on the cusp of the Dublin mountains, Lansdowne Killer Beez injected some much needed 'joie de vivre' back into their season with a comprehensive, if slightly ragged performance against a troubled Monkstown. It there was any doubt that this team know how to score tries, then the answer came in the manner of a 7 try salvo ( not including Jeffs one for Monkstown ) including a brace each for Justin Comer on his first start at fullback, and Nick Jones. Tries also came from Brian Gahan, Gants, and Kav. As Monkstown didn't have a full team, special credit must go to Millan, Ed, Gabby, Peter and Jeff who filled in for 'town. All played well and did not conceed despite their circumstances. Jeff rounded Conor with the ease of a pickpocket in Leicester square twice to score and set up lovely tries.
Conor has been referred to a councillor due to the lingering effects of the trauma. That being said there were worrying passages of play where 'town dominated and to conceed 22 points in a match is not at all good. Just so ye know, Its usually normal to wait for the final whistle before relaxing....
And so we said our goodbyes to our favourite kiwi, Nick Jones ....read more at
Killer B's Website
killerBs Photos

Killer B's 11- 14 Greystones

Discipline is key!

10/10/09 Dr Hickey Park
As the dust was gently blown off and the covers pulled back on another season, the Lansdowne Killer Bees confidently strode onto the ski slope in Dr Hickey park to open their account with preseason joint favourites Greystones. The team had a familiar look to it, coach Dolan deciding to run with tried and tested bodies at this crucial early stage. Lansdowne leapt into an early lead thanks to the boot (tomato soup colour) of Gants, and then pulled ahead after sustained pressure from the pack with a walk over try for Niall O'Hulahula, a man who does not need to be asked twice where the try line is. 11-0 and cruising. Ex Captain Herman decided to celebrate his newly found freedom from the sheckles of leadership by being binned, there was a suggestion that Keith may have intimated that the ref was optically challenged...
And then it all went pearshaped.
Perhaps it was fitness, or maybe lack of killer instinct, but Greystones ..read more at Killer B's Website
killerBs Photos

04/04/2009-Parsonstown

Winters Cup - Barnhall 17-6 Lansdowne

End of the Road

Cups are funny old things, they have a tendancy to catch you on the hop and creep up on you. When this happens, it is usually gone from you before you have a chance to realise it.... In the words of Al Pacino in Any Given Sunday " thats football guys, thats all it is..."

And so the curtain came down on our aspirations of medals and glory on Saturday against our old friends Barnhall. Having put a spanner in our league campaign in awful conditions before Christmas, they completed the double in the cup in perfect sunny conditions. Perhaps we dont do weather extremes too well....

Having started with two fine penalties, one long range effort from the ever reliable Eoin 'You're nicked fatty!' Gantly, we definately had the beating of this team. And yet there seemed to be a malaise over the team that was worrying, the warm weather seemed to drain the life out of the team. Old habits seemed to be creeping back in, no chatter and a general lack of interest took a long time to shake off, but it was a momentary loss of concentration that lost this game. One slight fault in the defence allowed the outhalf to trot under the posts unharmed, Barnhall did not need to be told twice and raised their game and their belief as they watched ours drift away... nothing ventured, nothing gained. I wish I could convince players how hard it is to win a medal in this crazy sport. They are as rare as hens teeth in brigadoon, they do not come easy. One slip and its gone.

But enough of this! To quote Samuel Beckett " NO MATTER, TRY AGAIN, FAIL AGAIN, FAIL BETTER."

When all is said and done, we are a better team now then we were in September. the challenge is to raise the bar that much again next year. People will move on, move up and move out. All the thank yous have been said, theres still a few things to come: the annual dinner, a friendly or two and LISBOA 09 !!!!
The team next year, one way or another, will be different. Different people, different work ethic, different attitude. Personally im looking forward to it! I hope you are too...

Written by Philip McGoldrick

Match photos taken by Jan Falko

Team
1: Gabriel Portier 2: Chris Reid 3: Peter Geoghegan 4: Paul Harvey 5: Robert Moore 6: Adam Kavanagh 7: Conor Gahan 8: Nick Jones 9: Matt Allen 10: Oisin O'Cuinneagain 11: Rory Gavin 12: Eoin Gantly 13: Justin Comer 14: Gearoid Carvill 15: Keith Herman (c) Subs: Ed Bruce, Ross Bloomfield, Des Ryan, Daniel O'Brian and Micheal O'Halloran

Killer B's Website