The Carrick 1st XV recorded their biggest win in a number of years when they beat Strabane by 59 points to 9 at Tom Simms Memorial Park on Saturday 9th November. The Maxol-sponsored Carrick team ran in nine tries, seven of them in a completely one-sided second half, and conceded none. Nothing in the early stages of the game gave a hint of the massacre to come. Strabane had a very definite edge in the scrum and, in the first quarter, were lively in the loose. Even though Carrick scored two tries in the first half, their high penalty count allowed the visitors to stay in the game and they were just 5 points behind at half-time. However, in the first ten minutes of the second half, Strabane conceded four tries to leave them trailling by 40 points to 9 and thereafter it was simply a matter of how many more Carrick would score. Effectively, the visitors committed rugby suicide in the early stages of the first half by kicking the ball aimlessly to Carrick and allowing the very dangerous back three of Neil Hastings, Brian Alexander and Aaron McKinney to run back at them. In this they were supported by the rampaging Carrick back row trio of Neil Marsden, Chris Ferris and Curtis Rea. With Strabane on the back foot, the Carrick centres had a field day, carving the opposition open almost at will; Johnny Sheriff picked up a hat-trick of tries and his centre partner Johnny Cullen touched down twice. Kenny Topping was invoved in a number of the scores,with well timed passes and his half-back partner, Luke Whitall, had an excellent day with the boot, converting seven of the nine tries, most from difficult angles. It was not just the backs and the loose forwards who stood out. Second rows Andy Kincaid and Chris Rodgers carried strongly, and put in some big tackles in the first half, and the front row trio of Robbie Williams, Neil Hanna and Eddie Peacock helped lay the foundations for the Carrick performance in the second half, especially by playing their part in ensuring that the home side had a continuous supply of quick ruck ball.
Strabane started the game in lively fashion and took the lead after three minutes with a penalty. They used the breeze at their backs quite effectively in the first quarter to play much of the game in the Carrick half. Despite this, it was the home side who took the lead after twelve minutes with an excellent try by Brian Alexander. After Robbie Williams had recovered the ball at a line-out on the Strabane 22, Alexander ran a great line, arcing across from his left wing position to the right wing and out-pacing the visitors’ defence to go in at the corner. From a difficult angle, and into the breeze, Luke Whitall added the conversion points. Ten minutes later, Strabane closed the gap to one point with a second penalty as Carrick’s problem with a high penalty count continued. With ten minutes to go to half-time, the home side got their second try. Neil Marsden made good ground off the back of a line-out and did a great job in making sure Carrick retained possession at the break-down so that the ball could be re-cycled quickly and transferred left to Andy Kincaid who went over for the try. Luke Whitall again added the points to give Carrick a 14 points to 6 lead. However, the visitors remained competitive and reduced the gap to five points with another penalty just before half-time.
Virtually from the kick-off for the second half, the game became a feast of running rugby by Carrick. Curtis Rea ran back the the Strabane kick-off, then Captain Andy Kincaid put in a strong run and, when the ball was re-cycled, Aaron McKinney put through a grubber kick for Johnny Cullen to touch down. On this occasion, Whitall was unable to convert but within two minutes, Carrick had their bonus point try when a well timed pass from Topping enabled Cullen to find a gap and feed Sheriff who went over for the try. This try was converted. Sheriff then picked up another try two minutes later when he out-paced the defence following a strong run by Curtis Rea. Again Whitall added the points to give Carrick a 33 points to 9 lead. From the kick-off, the hapless visitors conceded another try, this time a great individual effort by the impressive right winger Neil Hastings.On half-way, he gathered the ball, went through a gap in the Strabane defence and then beat two or three covering defenders to touch down in the corner. Luke Whitall converted to take the Carrick total to 40 points. The home side then took breather for about ten minutes before resuming their try scoring. The next score was a well worked backs try following quick off the top line-out ball; Whitall and Cullen worked a wrap-around move and then Hastings, with a fine hand-off, made ground into the Strabane 22 before chipping through for Sheriff to touch down for his third try. This try was not converted but Carrick took their total past 50 on the half-hour mark of the half when Johnny Cullen went over for his second try. Again, Neill Hastings was heavily involved, beating two defenders before passing inside to Cullen who scored. Whitall added the conversion points as he did a couple of minutes later after Curtis Rea – again very impressive in the loose,with strength and pace – had scored a fine individual try. The No 8 picked up off the back of an uncontested scrum and beat three or four defenders on his way to scoring. At this point, with five or six minutes still to go, the referee decided to blow for full time.
Even allowing for the quality of the opposition, this was an impressive performance by Carrick. They showed just how dangerous their backs are as an attacking force, well backed up by an athletic pack of forwards with some who are almost as effective as backs when they get ball in hand. However, against Ballyclare on Saturday a much tougher test awaits. The penalty count will have to be kept down and some of the luxuries they were able to enjoy against Strabane – such as not having to worry too much about ball retention- simply won’t be available against Carrick’s East Antrim neighbours.
The Carrick team which played Strabane was:-
A. McKinney; N. Hastings, J. Cullen, J. Sheriff, B. Alexander; L. Whitall, K. Topping; E. Peacock, N. Hanna, R. Williams, C. Rodgers, A. Kincaid(Capt), N. Marsden, C. Ferris, C. Rea
