Costigan's hat-trick gets Shelly off to winning start in Cup
BY MIKE GANDON
16/03/2009 4:00:00 AM
Lock Neville Costigan ran in three second-half tries as Shellharbour Dragons overwhelmed the Newtown Jets 42-10 in the opening round of the NSW Cup at Ron Costello Oval yesterday.
With the NRL experience of Costigan, halfback Mathew Head, fullback Brett Morris and winger Michael Lett providing the spark, the Dragons got a near perfect launching pad into the Cup.
Five-eighth and captain Brad Davidson led his team superbly and was rewarded with two tries.
One minute's silence was observed before the game for civic and sporting identity Keith Hockey, who died last week.
Shellharbour Dragons opened their scoring in the fifth minute when they moved the ball wide through Davidson and centre Troy Savage for right winger Tim Smith to dive over in the corner.
Head piloted a perfect conversion and the Dragons were away to an early 6-0 advantage.
Newtown then dominated field position and possession and equalised to 6-6 when halfback Luke Hume scored near the posts in the 17th minute and winger Sonny Tuigamala converted.
A 70m run by Morris and a penalty to the Dragons led to a Smith try in the 25th minute.
The Dragons went out by 10 points when a grubber kick by Savage 20m out from the Jets' goal line was regathered by Smith, who passed inside for Davidson to score in the 31st minute, with Head adding the extras.
Five minutes from half-time, a long pass by Head created space for centre Nick Emmett to put Lett across in the corner. Head landed another conversion.
Into the second term and the Dragons went further ahead after an 85m intercept run by Smith put them in a perfect attacking position before Davidson dummied and stepped his way over in the 46th minute for his second try.
Then came Costigan's hat-trick of tries in the 52nd, 58th and 65th minutes, with Head converting two of them for a 42-6 lead.
Despite a 36-point deficit, Newtown stuck to their guns, assisted by a glut of possession, and five-eighth Jordan Tansey finally scored a consolation try for the visitors in the 68th minute.
The Dragons, not content to sit on this buffer, produced great scrambling, desperation defence - particularly by Morris - to prevent another Newtown try.
Shellharbour are away to Central Coast Storm this Saturday.
http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/...lly-off-to-winning-start-in-cup/1459582.aspx#
BY MIKE GANDON
16/03/2009 4:00:00 AM
Lock Neville Costigan ran in three second-half tries as Shellharbour Dragons overwhelmed the Newtown Jets 42-10 in the opening round of the NSW Cup at Ron Costello Oval yesterday.
With the NRL experience of Costigan, halfback Mathew Head, fullback Brett Morris and winger Michael Lett providing the spark, the Dragons got a near perfect launching pad into the Cup.
Five-eighth and captain Brad Davidson led his team superbly and was rewarded with two tries.
One minute's silence was observed before the game for civic and sporting identity Keith Hockey, who died last week.
Shellharbour Dragons opened their scoring in the fifth minute when they moved the ball wide through Davidson and centre Troy Savage for right winger Tim Smith to dive over in the corner.
Head piloted a perfect conversion and the Dragons were away to an early 6-0 advantage.
Newtown then dominated field position and possession and equalised to 6-6 when halfback Luke Hume scored near the posts in the 17th minute and winger Sonny Tuigamala converted.
A 70m run by Morris and a penalty to the Dragons led to a Smith try in the 25th minute.
The Dragons went out by 10 points when a grubber kick by Savage 20m out from the Jets' goal line was regathered by Smith, who passed inside for Davidson to score in the 31st minute, with Head adding the extras.
Five minutes from half-time, a long pass by Head created space for centre Nick Emmett to put Lett across in the corner. Head landed another conversion.
Into the second term and the Dragons went further ahead after an 85m intercept run by Smith put them in a perfect attacking position before Davidson dummied and stepped his way over in the 46th minute for his second try.
Then came Costigan's hat-trick of tries in the 52nd, 58th and 65th minutes, with Head converting two of them for a 42-6 lead.
Despite a 36-point deficit, Newtown stuck to their guns, assisted by a glut of possession, and five-eighth Jordan Tansey finally scored a consolation try for the visitors in the 68th minute.
The Dragons, not content to sit on this buffer, produced great scrambling, desperation defence - particularly by Morris - to prevent another Newtown try.
Shellharbour are away to Central Coast Storm this Saturday.
http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/...lly-off-to-winning-start-in-cup/1459582.aspx#
Shellharbour that is!