Comfortable cup win for Toon
Thursday, 20 November 2008
Ballymoney Firsts' James Clelland escapes a tackle from the Donaghadee defence on Saturday.
ON Saturday Ballymoney Firsts enternatined Donaghadee at home in the Junior Cup.
In a game that Ballymoney were slow to start in they eventually ran out comfortable winners by 41 points to 3.
Ballymoney kicked off and immediately applied pressure to the Dee forward pack forcing them into early mistakes. Looking to convert their early pressure Ballymoney used their backs to good effect. Out half Williams made the initial break to offload to Calvin who in turn found Irwin for him to run in an early score, converted by Clelland to take the score to 7 - 0. It was Dee's turn to apply the pressure, poor communication from the hosts saw them concede a penalty, converted to take the score to 7 points to 3. Ballymoney went on the offensive again but were unlucky not to score with last gasp tackles stopping winger Watson from scoring on two occasions. The Ballymoney pack again set the platform for the backs to score when Irwin put Clelland into space for him to score to take the score to 12 - 3. The Ballymoney defence was holding firm preventing the Dee attacks from breaching their line. Just before the half time whistle Ballymoney again scored when Williams found Clelland who beat two men to score taking the tally to 17 - 3 at half time.
Knowing that they were now in the ascendency Ballymoney increased the pace of the game. It wasn't long until further points were on the board. Ill discipline from the Dee team allowed Ballymoney to kick to the corner. Forward dominance from the hosts saw Jonny Hanna score converted by Clelland 24 - 3. The visitors then came into their best spell of the game however although conceding a few penalties the defence from the hosts could not be broken. Irwin was to get his second of the game, from open play prop Irvine took the ball on, offloading to the backs whose passing saw Irwin stroll in 29 - 3. Again from open play and against a tiring Dee side the backs found numerous gaps and with support from the pack Kevin Williams scored converted by Clelland to take the score to 36 - 3. Ballymoney got one final score before the end when to open play from back and forwards saw Andrew Surgenor power his way over to take the final score to 41 - 3 at the final whistle.
Captain Scott Nelson commented 'We played well in stages and we should have scored a lot more points against our opponents today, but we are building game on game and the past two outings has saw us concede 3 points. We still have plenty to work on as we have a tougher game against Dungannon 2nds at home in the final group stage game next Saturday at home'.
