At Blaris last Saturday the Tata Steel sponsored Lisburn wrapped up their pre-Christmas league programme with a hard fought game against University of Ulster, Coleraine. Lisburn had a number of changes to their normal lineup with Matthew Edgar retaining his place at prop, Ross Hendron returning to the back row, Andrew Gibb and Ali Finlay also retaining their places at centre and outhalf respectively and Tommy Thompson stepping in for the unavailable Marks.
UUC are currently leaders of Qualifying League 2 and from the very start of this game they showed why. With a big mobile pack they immediately took on the Lisburn 8 and for all of the first quarter the home team were forced to defend stoutly as the students ran the ball from every part of the pitch. Lisburn have worked hard on their defence all year and, with the exception of the Omagh game where weather and ground conditions dictated numerous errors, they have always ended up within near reach of the opposition on the scoreboard, earning eight bonus points in the process.
The students, while enjoying a major share of the possession, were getting frustrated with their inability to put points on the board and their kicker was not enjoying a good day either, missing a number of very kickable penalties. This gave Lisburn great heart and on the 30 minute mark they eventually lifted the siege. The Lisburn pack at last laid on some useful ball inside their own half and the backs, released from defensive duties for the first time, took the ball forward. Fullback Owen Hillary entered the line out on the left wing and split the defence to score near the corner. The difficult conversion was missed by Hughes but Lisburn were now 5-0 in the lead against the run of play.
The home team took great encouragement from this and started to dictate matters up front. However, the students were still full of running and just on half time they equalised with a five pointer after rucking the ball over the line. The interval score was 5 points each.
Shortly after the re-start Lisburn went into the lead with a well-struck penalty from Hughes and they retained this advantage until the start of the final quarter when the strange sin binning of hard-working outhalf Finlay gave UUC a numerical advantage which they capitalised on. They ran the ball out to the wing where a single man overlap provided them with a try and an 8–10 lead. Within five minutes they increased this to 8-13 after David Curry was also sin binned for infringing in the heat of a ruck. Five minutes from time UUC increased the score to 8-20 from a ruck on the line, while Lisburn were still down to 14 players but on the resumption, and with full numbers restored, Lisburn were rewarded after they won possession and broke through the student rearguard with hooker Peter Graham dashing in under the posts for the score. The drop goal of the conversion was inexplicably missed but unlike a similar occurrence against Bangor in the first league match of the season, it did not create a loss of the match, which on this occasion was already lost. However, the try was sufficient to narrow the final score to 13-20 and the seven point losing margin gave Lisburn that all important bonus point.
Lisburn now have a break in games with nothing in the programme until January 21st, having received a bye in the first round of the Towns Cup. Many of the players, however, will be playing in the big Boxing Day derby, the Exiles Match between Wallace High School and Friends School Lisburn past pupils. This kicks off at 2pm and will be followed by music and entertainment in the Clubhouse. This is always a popular occasion not to be missed. On Christmas Eve morning the Youth teams have matches scheduled and will be worthy of strong support from the Club.
