Ballymoney 3XV 10 – Carrick 2XV 7

On Saturday, Ballymoney 3XV hosted Carrick 2XV in the first round of the Forster Cup and produced a strong defensive display to claim a hard-fought victory.

The match began with both sides setting an early physical tone as they battled for dominance. After sustained pressure inside the Carrick 22, Ballymoney opened the scoring when Mick McGaughey powered over the line from close range. Colin Henry added the conversion to make it 7–0.

The Toon men continued to test the Carrick defence and soon extended their lead when Henry slotted a penalty to take the score to 10–0.

Ballymoney showed real attacking intent, with Jack Alexander and Michael Allan making several strong line breaks to push deep into Carrick territory. Despite sustained pressure before the break, the visitors’ defence held firm to deny another score.

The second half saw Ballymoney put under pressure after losing two players to injury. Carrick capitalised early in the half to reduce the deficit to 10–7, setting up a tense finish.

Both packs battled fiercely at the breakdown and in open play, each looking to gain the upper hand and force the decisive score. Ballymoney created a few promising opportunities deep in the Carrick 22, but once again the visitors’ defence stood strong.

In the closing stages, the Toon men’s defensive work rate proved crucial, as they absorbed repeated Carrick attacks to hold on for a narrow but deserved 10–7 victory.

Manager Chris Campbell praised his team’s effort after the match:
“It was a very physical contest, and Ballymoney can be proud of how they matched up against a big Carrick pack. Our defensive work rate was fantastic, and we can take a lot of positives into the next round of the cup. Unfortunately, we picked up two injuries today, and we’d like to wish Colin and Jack a speedy recovery.”

Ballymoney 3XV return to action at home to Donegal Town on Saturday, 8th November.