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Sat 04 Feb 2017
Carrick
1st XV
27
19
Tries: J Bleakly, J Munnis, N SteeleConversions: J Cleland (2)
Toon come up short against Carrick in Cup
Chris McIlmoyle6 Feb 2017 - 11:06
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Report by J Hanna
The JKC BMW Ballymoney 1st XV took a break from league action to travel to Qualifying One side Carrick for the Towns Cup 2nd round and in a thrilling game they lost out 27-19.
Ballymoney kicked off on the heavy Carrick pitch and straight away took the game to the much larger home team. The first 10 minutes was all Ballymoney attack as they kept the ball through several phases between both forwards and backs making their way into the home team’s 22. A knock on by Ballymoney allowed Carrick to clear their lines from the Scrum. The larger Carrick team applied pressure at the Scrum and received the penalty which they kicked deep in the Toon half.
Strong running took them right to the try line and from an attacking Carrick Scrum they applied the pressure and with the Ballymoney team struggling to get grip in the mucky conditions they pushed over for their 8 to touch down. The conversation was missed but Carrick now lead 5-0 after 15 minutes.
The next 15mintues was all Carrick. They increased the intensity and put their large runners from their forwards into play. It was an intensity and physicality that Ballymoney had not experienced in Qualifying 3 and Carrick did not give them time to acclimatise as hard running from their second row and back row broke the gain line and then they were able to pop the ball up to more runners coming through. This resulted in an unconverted score on the 20minute mark and took the score to 10-0
Another Carrick break from the kickoff through their offloading game resulted in a player getting bundled into touch 5metre out. A very good catch and drive lead to the 3rd try which again was unconverted. This made the score 15-0.
Ballymoney then did put together some good phases off defence and started to get success in the tackle and halt several Carrick attacks in the middle of the pitch. Again, however Carrick were still playing with great intensity and a line break took them deep into the Ballymoney half. This time Ballymoney halted the drive in the Scrum due to good work from the front row of Irvine, McAneaney and Brown. Carrick’s pack started to pick and drive for the line and what looked a suspect forward pass was gathered and the Carrick player drove over the line below the posts. The try was awarded under the posts despite the appeal from Ballymoney and conversation added to make the score 22-0 with just over 30 minutes played.
The remainder of the half did show some encouragement from Ballymoney as they attacked Carrick again finding gaps in the home side defence and as they moved the ball through both forwards and back with Pollock linking well with centres Watson and Steele. Unfortunately no try was scored and the half ended 22-0
Ballymoney started as they left off and Carrick now found it hard to live with the pace of the Ballymoney attack and style of play. A penalty was kicked deep into the Carrick 22 by Outhalf Cleland and the Toon pack assisted by a couple of backs drove over from the lineout for Munnis to touch down for the Score. The conversion was added by Cleland and now Ballymoney had a reward for their efforts and score now 22-7.
It was Ballymoney who hit back straight away and took play deep in the Carrick half. A lineout close to the line was stopped but Ballymoney didn’t panic and moved the ball through the forwards and once they sucked in more Carrick players the ball was spun out wide to find second row Bleakly who showed good feet to beat his man and crash over. Again the conversion was added to narrow the game at 22-14.
At this stage you could see it was Ballymoney on the front foot and Carrick were starting to look tired, but again a lapse in defence let the Carrick No8 and captain to break through and off load to a Carrick replacement who used his fresh legs to run in at the corner. The conversion was missed but the score was now 27-14 with 15mintues remaining. The game was not over and Ballymoney went straight back at Carrick. Again they moved the ball and exposed an over-lap on the blind side. The ball was moved to centre Steele who beat his opposite man and then crashed over the line for a well-deserved try. Cleland was just wide with the conversion so the score was now 27-19 with just over 10mintues left. These 10 minutes were all spent in the Carrick half.
Matthew Steele, who was having an excellent game, broke from the back of scrum after linking well with number 8, John McFetridge and ghosted through a gap in the Carrick defence to sprint through to the 5metere line but was hauled down by the last Carrick defender. Ballymoney went for the line but Carrick were able to pressure a mistake from the visitors and clear their lines.
It wasn’t long before Ballymoney were back on the Carrick line and some great runs from Centre Watson pinned Carrick right back on the line and quick thinking from scrum half Steele saw the No9 pick at the ruck and drive to touch the ball at the bottom of the post. The referees view was blocked by a Carrick defender and the try was not given. Ballymoney stuck to their guns and continued to attack the line. Again quick thinking from Matthew Steele saw the scrum half take a quick tap at the penalty and floated a pass over for winger Pattison to gather and touch down but play was brought back for the forward pass. With only minutes left there was no more scores and the whistle sounded for the end of the game.
Man of the match: Chris Watson
Team: Irvine, McAneaney, Moxen, Bleakly, Allen, Pollock, McKeeman, McFetridge, Steele, Cleland, Pattison, Steele, Watson, Morrison, Nevin, Brown, Munnis
Coaches Comments: After the game coaches Cleland and Hanna stated “we were up against a much larger set of forwards today. We started well and did find gaps in the Carrick defence but the home side put in 20 minutes of hard running and excellent ball retention and took us by surprise to push ahead 22-0”. We were slow to react to this and not used to playing against this sort of team. However the guys dug deep and took the game to Carrick. Any attack we had we made yards so once we got our defence sorted we looked dangerous. It was a great comeback to win the second half 19-5 and if we could of played another 10 minutes we could of won the game as we finished the stronger team. Although we didn’t win the game we can take a lot of positives out of the game. Our scrum held up well after 20mintues, our defence was up to the task second half and our attack play resulted in scoring some super trys. I was proud of attitude the guys shown. We need to how push on and take this intensity and attitude in the remaining league games starting with Saturday when we are at home to a very strong Cavan team. The squad have shown in the cup they are capable of competing in a league above but we need to make sure we gain promotion first and that is our key objective now.
Ballymoney kicked off on the heavy Carrick pitch and straight away took the game to the much larger home team. The first 10 minutes was all Ballymoney attack as they kept the ball through several phases between both forwards and backs making their way into the home team’s 22. A knock on by Ballymoney allowed Carrick to clear their lines from the Scrum. The larger Carrick team applied pressure at the Scrum and received the penalty which they kicked deep in the Toon half.
Strong running took them right to the try line and from an attacking Carrick Scrum they applied the pressure and with the Ballymoney team struggling to get grip in the mucky conditions they pushed over for their 8 to touch down. The conversation was missed but Carrick now lead 5-0 after 15 minutes.
The next 15mintues was all Carrick. They increased the intensity and put their large runners from their forwards into play. It was an intensity and physicality that Ballymoney had not experienced in Qualifying 3 and Carrick did not give them time to acclimatise as hard running from their second row and back row broke the gain line and then they were able to pop the ball up to more runners coming through. This resulted in an unconverted score on the 20minute mark and took the score to 10-0
Another Carrick break from the kickoff through their offloading game resulted in a player getting bundled into touch 5metre out. A very good catch and drive lead to the 3rd try which again was unconverted. This made the score 15-0.
Ballymoney then did put together some good phases off defence and started to get success in the tackle and halt several Carrick attacks in the middle of the pitch. Again, however Carrick were still playing with great intensity and a line break took them deep into the Ballymoney half. This time Ballymoney halted the drive in the Scrum due to good work from the front row of Irvine, McAneaney and Brown. Carrick’s pack started to pick and drive for the line and what looked a suspect forward pass was gathered and the Carrick player drove over the line below the posts. The try was awarded under the posts despite the appeal from Ballymoney and conversation added to make the score 22-0 with just over 30 minutes played.
The remainder of the half did show some encouragement from Ballymoney as they attacked Carrick again finding gaps in the home side defence and as they moved the ball through both forwards and back with Pollock linking well with centres Watson and Steele. Unfortunately no try was scored and the half ended 22-0
Ballymoney started as they left off and Carrick now found it hard to live with the pace of the Ballymoney attack and style of play. A penalty was kicked deep into the Carrick 22 by Outhalf Cleland and the Toon pack assisted by a couple of backs drove over from the lineout for Munnis to touch down for the Score. The conversion was added by Cleland and now Ballymoney had a reward for their efforts and score now 22-7.
It was Ballymoney who hit back straight away and took play deep in the Carrick half. A lineout close to the line was stopped but Ballymoney didn’t panic and moved the ball through the forwards and once they sucked in more Carrick players the ball was spun out wide to find second row Bleakly who showed good feet to beat his man and crash over. Again the conversion was added to narrow the game at 22-14.
At this stage you could see it was Ballymoney on the front foot and Carrick were starting to look tired, but again a lapse in defence let the Carrick No8 and captain to break through and off load to a Carrick replacement who used his fresh legs to run in at the corner. The conversion was missed but the score was now 27-14 with 15mintues remaining. The game was not over and Ballymoney went straight back at Carrick. Again they moved the ball and exposed an over-lap on the blind side. The ball was moved to centre Steele who beat his opposite man and then crashed over the line for a well-deserved try. Cleland was just wide with the conversion so the score was now 27-19 with just over 10mintues left. These 10 minutes were all spent in the Carrick half.
Matthew Steele, who was having an excellent game, broke from the back of scrum after linking well with number 8, John McFetridge and ghosted through a gap in the Carrick defence to sprint through to the 5metere line but was hauled down by the last Carrick defender. Ballymoney went for the line but Carrick were able to pressure a mistake from the visitors and clear their lines.
It wasn’t long before Ballymoney were back on the Carrick line and some great runs from Centre Watson pinned Carrick right back on the line and quick thinking from scrum half Steele saw the No9 pick at the ruck and drive to touch the ball at the bottom of the post. The referees view was blocked by a Carrick defender and the try was not given. Ballymoney stuck to their guns and continued to attack the line. Again quick thinking from Matthew Steele saw the scrum half take a quick tap at the penalty and floated a pass over for winger Pattison to gather and touch down but play was brought back for the forward pass. With only minutes left there was no more scores and the whistle sounded for the end of the game.
Man of the match: Chris Watson
Team: Irvine, McAneaney, Moxen, Bleakly, Allen, Pollock, McKeeman, McFetridge, Steele, Cleland, Pattison, Steele, Watson, Morrison, Nevin, Brown, Munnis
Coaches Comments: After the game coaches Cleland and Hanna stated “we were up against a much larger set of forwards today. We started well and did find gaps in the Carrick defence but the home side put in 20 minutes of hard running and excellent ball retention and took us by surprise to push ahead 22-0”. We were slow to react to this and not used to playing against this sort of team. However the guys dug deep and took the game to Carrick. Any attack we had we made yards so once we got our defence sorted we looked dangerous. It was a great comeback to win the second half 19-5 and if we could of played another 10 minutes we could of won the game as we finished the stronger team. Although we didn’t win the game we can take a lot of positives out of the game. Our scrum held up well after 20mintues, our defence was up to the task second half and our attack play resulted in scoring some super trys. I was proud of attitude the guys shown. We need to how push on and take this intensity and attitude in the remaining league games starting with Saturday when we are at home to a very strong Cavan team. The squad have shown in the cup they are capable of competing in a league above but we need to make sure we gain promotion first and that is our key objective now.
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