Despite all the euphoria from the good form shown in the pre-season friendlies Ballyclare 1st XV suffered a shock defeat in the opening Qual.2 league match at the Cloughan on Saturday against a well prepared Omagh team. With a good crowd at both the match and the pre-game lunch everyone was anticipating a home win and at half-time up 17-3 this seemed possible. But a disappointing second half which saw three scoring chances spurned and little use of the wind ended with the Tyrone men edging an 18-17 win with a penalty in injury time . The result is a dent in the aspirations of the team and they must now dig deep to renew their challenge. The Seconds lost 21-14 away to Omagh2nds but the Fourths beat Bangor 3rds 30-15 at home and the U.19XV won on Friday night against Randalstown.
BALLYCLARE 17 OMAGH 18
125 Pictures – CLICK HERE – Thanks To David Irvine Photography
Ballyclare fielded the same side as the previous week and in the first half played into the breeze. They made an excellent start as Paul Morrow broke to put Clotworthy in on the right side for a try which the latter could not convert.Omaghmade good use of the wind and pushed into the home twenty-two only to be halted by a Weatherup tackle. Following a kick ahead by Clotworthy Paul Morrow made ground but lacked immediate support. Omagh defended well and also counter attacked strongly. One of the best back moves of the half saw the home side going deep into the visitor`s 22 but just failed to get over the line.Omagh came back strongly and their centre left Russell`s attempted tackle and should have scored only for Weatherup to hold him up on the home line. But an off-side was spotted by referree Sloan and Hamilton kicked it to cut the home lead to 5-3. The Clare boys replied with a break out from Weatherup and S.Morrow to put Paul Morrow over for a try which Clotworthy converted to lead 12-3.Then a strong run by Reid enabled Russell to find skipper Logan who drove over on the right for the third try which was not converted to give the home side a comfortable 17-3 interval lead.
Omagh started well in the second half into the wind but were penalised only for Clotworthy to push his kick just wide. But following a deep kick the home pack pressed into the corner only to be penalised when wellplaced. A strong run by Logan created a chance but the pass was forward and next a break from man of the match Steve Morrow should have brought a try but for a knock-on. With no return from these opportunities for the Clare the visitors hit back by following a deep kck and going over for a converted try to make it 17-10. They were now beginning to dominate more territorially and were halted near the home line. At this stage flank forward Coburn was yellow-carded and at the next scrum The Omagh pack drove over for a score and the attempted conversion hit a post. Now into injury time the home team was penalised and Hamilton slotted over the kick for a narrow and probably unexpected win by 18-17. Ballyclare rued the missed chances in the second half and also should have kicked much deeper even from re-starts.
Team S.Morrow;J.Reid,G.Clotworthy,P.Morrow,G.Weatherup;I.Russell,C.Morrow; A.Boyd,R.Scott,G.Watters; I.Heaney,N.Purce; A.McGrugan,W.Logan(capt),C.Coburn
Omagh 2nds 21 Ballyclare 2nds 14
The Seconds pack were under pressure early on from a heavier Omagh eight and the home team took an early 5-0 lead from an unconverted try. But Michael Stevenson`s men came back to level with a score by man of the match Steve Baillie and two penalties by Dave caldwell gave them the lead . Omagh had a penalty to make it 11-8 at the interval. Caldwell had another penalty to increase the Seconds lead in the second half but the power of the home forwards again told and two late tries gave them a 21-14 win . Best for the Clare side were Full-back Baillie and centre Jackson.
BALLYCLARE 4ths 30 BANGOR 3rds 15
95 Pictures – CLICK HERE – Thanks To Eileen Irvine
The veteran Fourths kept up their good form with this win over Bangor. The first half was fairly even and ended 8-8 with the home points coming from a try by Gaston and a penalty from Wasson. In the second half Bangor managed a converted try but the home team went ahead following tries by Watson,Wallace and Fox plus two conversions and a penalty from Wasson. The side also used a couple of subs in the second half.
B/CLARE U.19 Xv 34 R/TOWN U.19XV 26
34 Pictures – CLICK HERE – Thanks to David Irvine Photography
In this high scoring game Ballyclare were mostly ahead and had the first try from Craig Wallace converted by S.Beasant before Randalstown made it 7-5. Later tries came from centre Ryan Wilson, scrum-half Beasant, centre Jonny Braiden, Wallace (2nd try) and Clarke McCartney plus conversions by Beasant . The key players were Wallace and Beasant.
B/CLARE U.17XV v Ballymena U17XV
78 Pictures – CLICK HERE – Thanks to David Irvine Photography
Ballyclare emerged victorious from a game that could have finished with either winning. When Ballymena scored Ballyclare scored and so the game progressed with some excellent rugby and Ballyclare emerged the winners by one converted try.
