Newry Vs Instonians, KO 19.45 19/02/2013
The 34th annual Nutty Krust floodlit tournament kicked off this evening with a young Newry side facing a formidable Instonians squad. The match was initially scheduled the week prior but adverse weather conditions made playing impossible and only great work from groundsman Geoff Black made it possible on this chilly evening.
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This prestigious under 19 tournament brought the likes of Allan Clarke – elite perfomance manager of the Ulster branch – down for the occasion along with many more embattled spectators despite the chill in the air.
Newry kicked off and immediately it could be soon seen; Inst were on a mission. Their brute force from the outset looked to rattle the plucky Newry side and number 8 Andrew Duncan had his first try of the evening by the second minute. Captain Callum Lyle failed to convert, sending it just wide but one felt that wouldn’t be his last kick of the ball.
5 minutes later it didn’t look like Inst were going to let up and it would only be a matter of time before they broke Newry’s defences. Their superior strength one again prevailed and on the 8th minute Andrew Duncan once again ploughed through the Newry lines for his second of the evening while Callum Lyle found himself coming up short on the difficult conversion.
This became the story of the first twenty-five minutes with Daniel Lyness finding himself on the score sheet on the eleventh minute followed by Lyle’s first conversion of the night. Newry simply could not have a moment of respite from Inst’s constant pressure and just 3 minutes later Kadhun Hasson boomed his way from his own half with a fantastic effort leaving Inst 22 points clear after just 15 minutes.
Tries from Stephen Rooney, another from Andrew Duncan and two more conversions from Lyle had Inst out of sight by the twenty-five minute mark. Newry though, never gave up, the bold side pushed on the twenty-five minute mark and almost had a try of their own but it was disallowed for a forward pass, despite valiant work to break through Instonians defence. Newry weren’t on the front foot for long though, the ball was ripped from them in a messy ruck and played wide to lightning winger Kadhun Hasson who blazed in for his second of the night.
Half time Newry – 0 Instonians – 41.
Instonians put us under way for the second half and there was no feeling that they were in any mood to let up on this young Newry side. Within two minutes of kick off Duncan once again found himself barging through Newry’s ranks for his fourth of the evening, which was duly converted by Lyle. With that he was substituted along with other star man Kadhun Hasson and fellow scorer Daniel Lyness, their work was done for tonight. They still had one man on the score sheet still on the field still, and he wasn’t content with just one. After a fantastic mazy run Stephen Rooney found himself under the posts for his second of the night on the six minute mark. This was swiftly converted by Lyle who had found his shooting boots after a hit and miss first half.
The next few minutes were blow for blow as Newry found themselves on a level playing field after the substitutions of Instonians big boys. After some great determination Nathan Murphy won Newry a well-deserved consolation try, which was failed to be converted. The ball bounced off the woodwork. It was simply not Newry’s night.
Two further tries from John Gilkinson and Brendan Mckenna along with conversions by Matt Wilson and Callum Lyle finished the night Newry 5 Instonians 69. Take nothing away from Newry though, the young side never let their heads drop and were simply out-muscled on the night by a far superior team.
Andrew Duncan picked himself up the man of the match award with his astounding work in the first half, which left Newry more than a mountain to climb.
NB. Allen Clarke – Ulster Rugby was in attendance
