Clean sweep for Dalriada teams
Thursday, 27 November 2008
IT was a super weekend for Dalriada rugby with all six sides in action and six wins as well. It was pleasing to also to see the thirds in action and for them to pick up a good win.
All senior sides travelled up to Carrick on Saturday morning and both the first and seconds were looking to bound back after the previous weekends narrow defeats at Larne.
The First XV came through comfortably in the end to beat their opponents 31-16. It was Carrick in this game who started the stronger and for ten minutes camped themselves in the Dalriada 22. Fierce tackling has been a feature this season and just as danger loomed a great tackle from Jonny McLaughlin forced a spill which Ben Henderson pounced upon and ran the length of the field to score the opening try. Carrick soon got themselves on the score sheet with a penalty but Dalriada hot back with a good score after some strong running from out half Thomas Skelton. However a short lapse in concentration let Carrick in for a try leaving the half time score 14-8.
After a encouraging team talk by coach Tony McWhirter they kick off with the wind but it was Carrick who started again the stronger and soon got on the score board with a penalty. The rest of the half was fairly even with both teams making errors and also putting some good phases of play together. It then took something special to break the deadlock and with ten minutes to go the Skipper TJ produced a bit of magic beating three defenders to go under the posts. Carrick again hit back when a loose pass was picked up by the Carrick no.8 and he went under the posts for a five pointer. Dalriada soon forced a penalty and Lee Ballentine stepped up and slotted the three points and with just minutes to go after some good work Thomas Skelton went under the posts to secured an excellent 31-16 win.
SECOND XV
The Seconds also enjoyed a good win playing their now acustomary style of open expansive rugby. After an initial period of Carrick pressure Dalriada broke away to score the opening try from winger Jack Finnerty. Dalriada added to the score with a penalty from Conall Devlin. He followed this up with a try leading the half time score15-0. Turning round with the wind a early defensive lapse let Carrick in for a try which they converted. This woke the Dalriada team up and tries soon followed from James Pollock after a good line out move. After some rather alternative defending Jack Finnerty scored his second try making the score at the final whistle 25-7.
THIRDS
Dalriada managed to put out an almost complete Thirds side, but missing vital prop and hooker. Carrick kindly agreed to play a 12 aside game
and with uncontested scrums. The Dalriada side had to compromise in the game to fill out positions, scrum half Dunlop threw the line outs
and usual flanker/Second row Adams filled the front row.
Dalriada gained the advantage from the start with two tries in the first half. These came, first from Matthew Dunlop slipping round the blindside of the ruck and then from Out half Ewan Strang finding space down the centre of the field to hand off the opposition 12 before stylishly swinging round the post. He went on to convert his try. Carrick Grammar didn't give up, retaliating with two tries of their own, leaving the half time score 12-12.
The second half began with Carrick putting up a tough defence for the first 10 minutes. Scrum Half Matthew Dunlop scored his second try of the game, again going blind from Carrick's 22, this time from a scrum, breaking through a tackle by the opposition's wing to reach over the line. Strang slotted the difficult conversion. The next try came from a tap penalty taken by Dunlop to pass to Andrew Anderson who luckily held onto the ball after a teasing juggle to give great off load under his arm out of the tackle to Niall Adams. Adams gave a simple but effective pass to Strang who took it into the ruck.
Strong Rucking and quick ball let Dunlop spin the ball to Wing Zak McClelland who was filling in the 10 position, McClelland ran though a great gap to be awarded the try.
Dalriada's final try was set up beautifully by an amazing run by centre Robert Hanna who ran over three quarters of the field to give a grubber
round the winger for David Hodges to complete. Strang converted his 3rd. Carrick prevailed to the end and were awarded a try by a strong
runner in the Corner. The final score was left at 31-17 despite Dalriada playing one man down in the second half losing their biggest forward Tom Cargan-James to injury. Special mention must be made to Robert Hanna's great running, Anderson and Adams powerful rucking and tackling and to Man
of the Match Dunlop for his consistent passing and ability finding space.
