Ballymena’s Sean McCormick Man of the Match
Nutty Krust Tournament Ballymena U18’s v Dungannon U18’s 1st February 2017
The first of this season’s First Round group stage games in the Nutty Krust U18 Tournament took place under the floodlights at a damp Chambers Park when Ballymena U18’s and Dungannon U18’s played on Wednesday evening. The Ballymena U18 team recorded a 17-12 victory despite having been 12-5 behind up at the break. A sizeable crowd had gathered to watch an entertaining game which featured quite a few talented players on both teams. Among the group watching the game was Jonny Gillespie, the Ulster Rugby Talent ID Manager.
The Dungannon U18 team started the game in a most impressive fashion. They produced a series of seven phases of quick ruck ball which enabled an impressive interchange of passes, involving both forwards and backs, to get them on the front foot. Joma Manu’u broke from the opposition ten metre line, beat three defenders by using some outstanding evasion skills, before touching down for a try under the Ballymena posts. Conor McGough added the extras to give the Dungannon team a 7-0 lead with only four minutes on the clock. The Dungannon team continued to dominate all aspects of the game for the next ten minutes. It took some great defence from the Ballymena team, with Sean McCormick to the fore, to ensure there were no further Dungannon scores. Nicholson Aholelei, Luke Roche and Harley Crawford all featured strongly for the Dungannon team but they could find no way through. It fact it was the Ballymena team that was next to score. They started to win some possession and take the game to the Dungannon defence. They forced the Dungannon team into conceding a series of penalties which were taken quickly. From one such penalty Jake McKay and Eoin Kitson combined to put Josh Van Loggerenberg in for an unconverted try to reduce the Ballymena deficit to 7-5. The Dungannon team recovered and, just before the break, Conor McGough put through a clever grubber kick which was gathered by Joma Manu’u who finished off with an unconverted try to give his team a 12-5 lead.
The second half saw both teams remain keen to play positive rugby with the ball in hand. From one flowing Ballymena attack Richard Lamont finished off with a fine try, which was converted by Eoin Kitson, to level the scores at 12-12 four minutes after the restart. The Ballymena team gained great confidence from this and Sean McCormack, Josh Henry and Isaak Hackett drove them forward at every opportunity. Sean McCormack became the provider when he won lineout ball which the Ballymena back division moved with great precision. Mark Haveron finished the flowing move off with an unconverted try in the corner to give the Ballymena team a 17-12 lead with twelve minutes of the second half gone. Back came the Dungannon team with some great attacking plays of their own. Joma Manu’u might have completed his hat trick only for some great Ballymena defence to deny him. The switch of Nicholson Aholelei from the front row of the scrum to the back row of the scrum looked like it was going to pay dividends for the Dungannon team on a number of occasions. However, the Ballymena line remained intact thanks in no small way to the work of Sean McCormack and Josh Van Loggerenberg. One attack near the end of the game by the Dungannon team finished with them gaining a 5m scrum. Unfortunately for them the referee awarded a free kick against them and the danger was cleared. The Dungannon team then mounted one last attack with Nicholson Aholelei being bundled into touch just short of the Ballymena line. The whistle blew for the end of the game and it was the Ballymena team that celebrated their hard-earned, but ultimately well-deserved, 17-12 victory at the end of the game.
As usual with the Nutty Krust Tournament the players all received a post-match meal which was sponsored by Jim Hewitt Meats, prepared by the staff in “Scrummies” kitchen and organised by the ever present Sid Rowe. All players, as well as their coaches, received a Nutty Krust loaf on departure.
Sid Rowe then presented the impressive Ballymena No6, Sean McCormack, with the Nutty Krust “Man of the Match Award” at the post match ceremony.
The second of the First Round group stage games in the 2017 Nutty Krust Tournament will feature Banbridge U18’s v Rainey U18’s at 7-45 pm on Wednesday 8th February. All supporters will be made to feel very welcome.
