Match Report – Sat 28th Sept – Ards 28 v Suttonians 27
by STEPHEN NUTT
Cox saves the day!
Ards got this season’s All Ireland League (AIL) campaign of to a winning start on Saturday when they defeated Suttonians from Dublin at Hamilton Park. This was the perfect start for the new coaching team of Stewart Porter, Gerry Flynn and SCOTT YOUNG, and the first time in many a year that Ards have recorded a win in their opening AIL fixture never mind gaining a bonus point.
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In the 4th minute Ards turned over Suttonians’ ball in their own 22 and saw winger David Parkhill break out of defence all the way to the opposition 22. Ards retained possession through centre SCOTT YOUNG and out-half Stewart Paul; supporting No. 8 Steven Minnis fed right winger Gareth Wilson who showed great pace going over in the clubhouse corner; full-back paul cox missed the conversion.
In the 9th minute winger Gareth Wilson went over for his second try in the same corner which saw Wilson field a Suttonians clearance kick and run back at their approaching defence. Ards recycled the ball and attacked the blind side again for Wilson to go over at the same spot, Cox missed the conversion to make the score Ards 10 – Suttonians 0.
Suttonians were shell-shocked to find themselves on the back foot 10-0 down and even more so in the 13th minute when after a great steal by prop ANDREW FOSTER, scrum-half MARK BANFORD made a break going from left to right for centre Young to hit the line straight to score right of the posts, Cox converted making it Ards 17 – Suttonians 0.
In the 24th minute the Ards centre was yellow carded for a deliberate knock-on whilst Suttonians mounted an attack in the Ards 22; the Suttonians full-bank converted the penalty. Ards 17- Suttonians 3.
From the Kick off Ards regained possession and attacked Suttonians in the middle of the park; Suttonians were then penalised at the break down for going over the top. Cox converted from in front of the posts bringing the score to Ards 20 – Suttonians 3.
On the half hour mark Ards scrum-half Banford was penalised for not rolling away after tackling the Suttonians No. 8 who had picked up from the scrum. The Suttonians full-back converted. Ards 20- Suttonians 6.
Suttonians really stepped up their game and attacked the Ards line, however the Ards defence was good and in the 36th minute Ards winger Parkhill broke from the Ards 10 metre line, beating several would be tacklers before offloading to the supporting Devlin on his outside to score in the left corner; the conversion was missed. Ards 25- Suttonians 6.
Ards were in dreamland, rarely in recent seasons had they been in such a position and perhaps they were thinking about half time when in the 39th minute as the Suttonians replacement flanker crossed over for a converted try.
Half Time: Ards 25 – Suttonians 13.
It was Suttonians who started the second half the brighter, buoyed by their score on the stroke of half time. In the 44th minute the Suttonians open-side, who was starting to have an influence on the game crossed for a try to the right of the Ards posts. This was converted by the Suttonians full-back. Ards 25- Suttonians 20.
In the 52nd minute Ards received their second yellow card of the game when flanker Andy Hassard was adjudged to have made a high tackle. Suttonians kicked this penalty to touch, winning the resulting line-out and attacked through the middle of the park for a converted try making the score Ards 25 – Suttonians 27.
In the 68th minute Ards were penalised at a scrum for pushing before the ball was put in; this was quite ironic as the Ards scrum seemed to have the upper hand most of the day and it was the Suttonians loose head who seemed to have his angles all wrong most of the day.
A further penalty in the 70th minute saw Suttonians elect to go for the corner rather than attempt the kick at the posts, much to Ards’ relief. Ards stole the ball and cleared their lines.
The last 10 minutes saw Ards throw everything at Suttonians in the quest for the perfect All Ireland League start; a win, 4 tries and a bonus point.
In the 80th minute Ards were awarded a penalty on the Suttonians’ 10 metre line, bang in front of the posts. Ards full-back paul cox stepped up and slotted the ball over, a huge roar went up from the crowd in chorus with the touch judges flags. The referee’s whistle sounded for full time and the crucial win was achieved.
Full Time; Ards 28 – Suttonians 27.
Ards Squad: ANDREW FOSTER, MATT BUSBY, JONNY WYLIE, Gary Presho, Gareth McBurney, ROB McCAUSLAND (Capt), Andy Hassard, Steven Minnis, MARK BANFORD (V. Capt), Stuart Paul, David Parkhill, SCOTT YOUNG, Trevor Devlin, Gareth Wilson, paul cox, Colin McClure, Willie Dodd, John Dowey, Pete Croan, TAYLOR FERGUSON.
