Banbridge U15s – 0 Carrickfergus U15s – 57
This was a top of the table league clash at Banbridge RFCs Rifle Park on Saturday morning between the two undefeated pace setting teams in the elite U15s league.
With Carrick missing vital training & game time due to recent weather conditions a much needed squad session on Wednesday night set the bench mark for this Saturday morning showdown.
A perfect build up saw Carrick arrive early & enjoy a very positive warm up under the direction of the coaches.
Early Banbridge possession saw their out half kick to the corners but copy book tracking back & fielding by the Carrick back three of Dylan McDowell Mike Whitall & Matthew Best proved equal to his best efforts.
As the game progressed the home out half continued his futile kick chase game and this trio opened up the home defence with strong counter attack running.
Carrick got on the front foot from a strong midfield scrum with James Carson John Stewart & Corey Kelly starting a scrum domination that lasted all game.
A hard carry by the Carrick forwards gave Matthew Fisher the opportunity to breach the home defence and score from a 30 metre run.
Sam Wallace added the bonus points.
With Carrick fronting up at scrum and line out it was only a matter of time before they were bossing the breakdown with some ferocious rucking going forward & often turning defence into attack with text book counter rucking.
Jake Porter broke up the left & out stripped the defence to score wide out, after being fed by Sam Wallace on the short side.Wallace fired over the touchline conversion & Carrick were starting to fire on all cylinders.
Bann were looking slightly shell shocked at this stage & despite their best efforts were unable to gain either possession or position in the Carrick half, worse was yet to come for the home side as Fisher once again powered over & then silken handling & running in the backs allowed Evan Sloan to glide over.
With Sam Wallace converting one of the tries Carrick approached half time with another strong drive into Bann territory & 26 points without reply on the board.
The second half saw Daniel Mc Burney who had given an exhausting power house display being replaced by Ian Kerr who teamed up with John Turner who was giving a second row master class.
With Fisher on the charge from No 8 Jake Gardner & Cody Surgeoner provided fantastic back row support in broken field play, Gardner also provided several turnover steals at the tail of the line out.
Steady & clean ball from the very busy & nimble footed Connor Cambridge allowed Wallace to score a training paddock individual try which he goaled.
Fisher got his hat trick from another rock steady scrum before Jake Porter whose steals on the ground were from the book of “McCaw” worked some magic & burst through under the posts for Wallace to goal.
The Carrick coaches introduced a raft of changes with birthday boy Rory Magill & Jordan Devenny replacing the industrious James Carson & a simply outstanding Jake Gardener who had given an exceptional personal performance.
Andrew Campbell came in at scrum half & produced a number of sniping runs which kept the Bann back row tied down & elsewhere Tony Clark & Aaron Rea were introduced in the backs.
Jamie Craig came on to the right wing & produced some typical bullocking runs down the touchline.
All was not over however as these replacement players wanted a piece of the action & provided tremendous value for their time on the pitch.
Bann had had title aspirations going into this game but were simply out gunned by the Carrick effort and the nail was firmly hammered in their coffin by John Stewart who weighed in with a brace of tries after serious forward pressure was exerted on the Bann line through a series of relentless pick & goes.
Wallace added the points to one of the tries.
This was simply an outstanding squad performance & one which provided rich fayre for the many travelling parents & supporters who were as always impeccable in their demeanour.
The massive home gallery was shocked into silence & accepted defeat graciously with the possible exception of one person who was obviously not familiar with the IRFU Code of Ethics for Age Grade Rugby.
The Banbridge team however to their credit endeavoured to play rugby to the final whistle & they & their coaches are to be applauded for that.
Scorers M Fisher T3 Jake Porter T2 Evan Sloan T Sam Wallace T Con 6 J Stewart T2
CRFC U15s Squad – M Best D McDowell E Sloan J Porter (capt) M Whitall S Wallace CCambridge J Carson J Stewart C Kelly J Turner D McBurney C Surgeoner J Gardener M Fisher Ian Kerr Rory Magill Jordan Devenney Andrew Campbell Aaron Rea Tony Clark Jamie Craig
