A superb win by ARDS agaisnt Navan and a tough battle by Ards IV v Ballyclare IV
Report from Ixv v Navan to follow but you can view the pictures on the link below, and the ARDS IV v BALLYCLAE IV MAtch report and pictures link are below
Click Here For Pictures Of Ards I XV v Navan I XV
BALLYCLARE 4th XV 15 V 10 ARDS 4th XV
Last Saturday the 4ths travelled to Ballyclare to take on their counterparts….
Last Saturday the 4ths travelled to Ballyclare to take on their counterparts in a league match of some significance. The match was played in reasonably good conditions underfoot with little or no breeze. The game was highly competitive throughout but in the final analysis the home side did enough to deserve the points. From the start the forward exchanges were intense and it was a shame to see out half Stephen Bell sustaining a painful leg injury in the first 5 minutes when a Ballyclare forward came through with an outstretched foot. The indiscretion went unpunished however, leaving Bell limping for the remainder of the half and forcing his removal from the pitch early in the second half. Back row forward Alan Bloxham suffered a hamstring injury in the opening quarter which also disrupted the Ards team.
Click Here For Pictures Of Ards IV v Ballyclare IV: Pictures by Ross Reid, for high resolution email ross@whitespaceuk.co.uk
Ballyclare opened their account in the 12 th minute with a penalty from their fullback. The majority of the first half was played between the 22 metre lines on the pitch as neither pack dominated any phase of play. The rule whereby the tackler should roll away after the tackle was not applied to the home side, causing many untidy pile ups and preventing the Ards forwards from supplying quick ball to the backline. As the half progressed Ards tried to adapt to the unusual interpretations to the laws of the breakdown, and worked their way steadily upfield. In the 35th minute Bell was successful with a penalty and the sides turned round all square at 3-3.
Ballyclare then scored a well worked try early in the second half from their right winger which was unconverted. The game was still being dominated by the battle upfront and Ards began to show some more enterprise in the backline to try and prise open the Ballyclare defence. From one such foray, and to the despair of the Ardsmen, a stray pass along the backline was intercepted gratefully by a Ballyclare player at the halfway line, who ran in unopposed to score a try under the posts which was easily converted , in the 58th minute. It would have been easy for heads to go down at this point, but the team regrouped, and played their best rugby of the match in the last 20 minutes. Gordy McBride was almost through to the try line on two occasions and only excellent defence kept Gary Dempsey and Skipper David Savage out . It was only with the last move of the game however that Ards managed to breach the Ballyclare defence when Jonny Garrett got on the end of a rolling maul, to touchdown for a try converted by Gamble, to leave the Ards side 5 points adrift at the final whistle.
This Saturday the 4ths entertain Academy 3rd XV at Hamilton Park.
Click Here For Pictures Of Ards IV v Ballyclare IV
