Banbridge’s replacement hooker Peter Cromie was mobbed by his team-mates when he touched down from the last passage of play in Saturday’s All-Ireland League game at Rifle Park. Their delight was understandable, not just because it secured a fourth and bonus point winning try, but also because of the determination he had shown in forcing his way over the line despite the efforts of three Bective forwards.
A bonus point win looked an unlikely outcome at the interval, given that the visitors had scored the only points in the opening half. Out-half Barry Lynn’s long-range penalty separated the teams after 40 minutes of forced and unforced errors by both sides, although the Dublin outfit had looked most likely to score a try through the efforts of winger Ferdia Kenny and scrum-half David Barron.
Bann spurned one shot at goal but the lineout option that was taken failed to yield the expected try when they were penalised for a rucking offence.
Ian Porter’s successful kick from in front of the posts levelled the scores early in the second half and from that point on Bann were largely in control. The scrummaging problems that had beset them the previous weekend in Limerick were now firmly behind them and from that solid base the threequarters were given quality possession.
The first try of the game originated in a lineout on the Bective “22”. Flanker Ryan Patterson, at his bullocking, barnstorming best, punched a big hole in the defensive line and after Dale Carson had been stopped short, Porter found Jonny Little with the recycled ball and the centre touched down at the posts. Porter’s conversion took the score to 10-3.
Lynn was doing his best to bring his threequarters into play, but when the ball went loose on the visitors “22” John Porter pounced to hack through. Another delicate nudge took the ball over the try line and the Bann winger grounded it for his eighth AIL try of the season, with brother Ian adding the conversion.
Lynn’s second successful penalty gave the visitors a glimmer of hope which was soon extinguished by Bann’s third try. Skipper Simon McKinstry turned down two eminently kickable penalty opportunities in rapid succession to go for the lineout option. Any reservations the Bann supporters may have had about the captain’s decisions were swept away when an overlap was created for Ashley Finlay to dive over at the left hand corner flag.
There were still nine minutes remaining but it looked as if Bann would be denied that fourth score despite periods of pressure on the Bective line. Then Ian Porter’s fine kick set up good field position and Bann won a lineout eight metres out from which Cromie’s throw-in found McKinstry. The maul was stopped short but the Ulster U-19s hooker picked up and powered his way over.
So Bann go into the mid-season AIL break two points ahead of the chasing pack in Division 2A, boasting the best “points for” tally in all four Divisions.
