06/08/2026
The Rugby Gaels took on Four Masters in a friendly on Wednesday evening.
Despite being without our regular goalkeeper, Michael O'Meara stepped up and did an excellent job between the posts, showing great leadership.
Finn Thompson and Will Pritchard put in solid performances in the full-back line during the first half, while the half-back line was outstanding throughout. Archie Gall seemed to be involved in everything on the pitch—including, unfortunately, his own teammates at times! Oisin McKenna continued his excellent recent form, winning high balls, putting in strong tackles, and dominating around the middle. Mitch Aries worked tirelessly, getting stuck into every challenge and leaving nothing on the field.
Gabriel Treacy covered every blade of grass and was a constant attacking threat, capping off his performance with an excellent point from a difficult angle. Seb Crawley opened the scoring with a well-taken point and came close to finding the net on two occasions, only to be denied by the impressive Four Masters goalkeeper. Freddie Stephenson once again impressed, particularly with his forward runs, while Joe O'Brien also made a strong impact going forward.
Following a number of second-half changes, James Treacy moved into the corner-back position and delivered several well-placed kick-outs after Archie Gall decided to RKO his own goalkeeper. Those restarts allowed Oisin McKenna to claim several consecutive high balls, with Freddie Stephenson also continuing to excel in the air.
Ben Crawley slotted into the full-back line and brought plenty of experience, keeping his marker quiet and limiting any threat close to goal.
Overall, it was a strong team performance from the Gaels, but credit must go to Four Masters, who proved to be a well-drilled side. We wish them all the best for the remainder of the season and thank them for a competitive and enjoyable game.
Motm : Gabriel Treacy
Strengths: Running, communication, concrete arriving at half 5 on a Friday evening.
Weaknesses : Weekends in Rosscommon, the session, facial hair, John Cenas farewell tour
