ARDS EARN BONUS POINT IN CORK
Sundays Well 21 V 16 Ards
Last Friday the 1st XV squad made their way to Cork and on Saturday played home side Sundays Well at Musgrave Park in perfect conditions and on an immaculate pitch. Still missing eight players this could have been seen as a daunting task for the young Ards men. However the commitment they showed and the intensity displayed throughout the match demonstrates the team spirit in the squad and as the score line suggests this was a close match which Ards could have won, but had to be content with a bonus point which was well earned and thoroughly deserved,
Ards dominated the opening exchanges getting quickly into their stride and Paul Cox stroked over a penalty after just four minutes for a 3 point lead. With the Ards lineout and scrum working well the home side found it difficult to get out of their own half and in the 17th minute Cox converted his second penalty to extend the lead to 6 points. Sundays Well hit back with a penalty of their own after 25 minutes to reduce the Ards lead to 3 points again Then in the 28th minute Neil McMillan was shown a yellow card but his absence seemed to galvanise the Ards pack even more and at the next scrum the seven Ards forwards drove the opposition off their own put in. A late tackle on Mark Banford who had an excellent game at scrum half went unpunished and Ards had to endure a period of pressure inside their own 22 metre line. Sundays Well recycled the ball through many phases as they probed for an 
opening but the Ards defence would not be breached. Just when it looked like the Well might have found a gap, a tremendous tackle from Max Harrison turned the ball over for Ards. Two quick passes released James McCavery in the centre of the pitch on his own 22 metre line. The big man took off at pace brushing aside a tackle and the whole pitch opened up for him. He proceeded to sell two dummies to the covering defence and then passed inside to Scott Young in support. The ball was carried to within five metres of the try line and when Young was tackled he popped the ball up to Gareth Wilson who had made up acres of ground from full back and he took the ball at pace to score under the posts. Paul Cox added the conversion and Ards went into the interval with a 13-3 lead.
The second half saw Sundays Well reverting to Munster style rugby with their pack setting up the rolling maul to good effect time after time. Twelve minutes into the half and from a line out ten metres from the Ards line an overthrow from the Well hooker fell inadvertently into the hands of their open side flanker who spun round and drove over for a try converted by their out half to bring them to within 3 points of Ards. The next ten minutes were frenetic with both sides searching for the all important next score, but the game turned on two decisions which saw James McCavery, who was having an outstanding game, sent to the sin bin in the 58th minute and just five minutes later try scorer Gareth Wilson was also shown a yellow card. The home team were quick to capitalise on their numerical advantage and the Ards cause was further hampered by injuries to Mark McClean and Steven Minis, both of whom had to be replaced. Sundays Well converted a penalty to level the scores and then scored an unconverted try to take a 5 point lead. Ards were defending as if their lives depended upon it but were penalised in a ruck to give the Well another penalty which they converted to extend their lead to 8 points with just ten minutes left on the clock. With McCavery and Wilson returning Ards took the game back to the Well and strong running fro the backline and clean quick ball from several rucks took play back into the opposition half. Conor Piper was to the fore of a drive from the forwards and when the Well were eventually penalised for hands in the ruck Ards had a penalty chance 25 metres out and 10 metres in from the touchline. This was a pressure kick but Paul Cox was up to the challenge and bisected the uprights to bring Ards to within a converted try to win the game. As it was both sided cancelled each other out in the final minutes with no further scoring by either team.
Ards gained a hard earned and much welcome bonus point from this match against a strong side and were left to ponder the outcome had they kept their full compliment of players on the pitch for the 80 minutes. Playing for 30 minutes with one short was a decisive factor in the outcome. Ards can take full credit for their efforts and must now push on from here to gain more league points with their next AIL match at home to Wanderers on 26th November. This Friday Ards play Dungannon under the lights at Stevenson Park in an Ulster Senior League match. The squad for the Sundays Well match was;
Weir, Piper, Wylie, Dawson, McCavery, Harrison, Minis, McMillan, Banford, Cox, Beggs, Hassard, Young, McClean. Wilson, McClure, Busby, Foster, Todd, Devlin.
Ards 2nds 6 – Armagh 39
Ards 2nds played host Armagh this week at Hamilton Park in the return 2nd XV league game.
Kicking off playing towards Scrabo and with the sun and wind in their faces; Ards competed well in the opening exchanges with captain David Chivers and David Wickens prominent. After 20 minutes the score was level at 3 – 3 with both teams having exchanged penalties, full back Stephen Robinson converting Ards’ penalty. Armagh then went 10 points ahead at 13 – 3 converting another penalty then scoring a converted try after some slack defence by Ards in the middle of the park.
Ards stepped up their game under the leadership of Chivers and after a period of pressure, Armagh conceded a penalty which Robinson duly converted. Ards 6 – Armagh 13.
Ards attempted to step up the intensity of their game with Wickens, Chivers and McKee carrying ball and running hard lines at the Armagh defence; to Armagh’s credit they defended robustly and started to gain the upper hand with their larger and more physical pack coming to the fore. Armagh stretched their lead scoring a try in the clubhouse corner which was converted by their centre.
Half time: Ards 6 – Armagh 20
Ards regrouped at half time and started the second half with the belief they were still in the game this was enthusiasm was short lived.
In the opening minutes an Armagh second row took a wonderful pass of the shoulder of his out half and scythed his way through the Ards defence to score a fine try under the posts which was duly converted. This score did not deter the Ards team and they continued to compete for every ball and defended stoutly. Ards played through their phases and to put themselves into try scoring field position but too often they conceded turnover ball or lost a lineout. It wasn’t until the final 10 minutes that Armagh extended their lead scoring 2 tries one of which was converted.
Final score: Ards 6 – Armagh 39
Ards welcomed back Pete CROAN in second row after returning from injury
Team: Daniel Whitla, David Wickens, Jonny Millar, Pete Croan, Adam McKee, Ryan Mills, David Chivers, Glen Dugan, Stephen McKee, Ricky Aston, Andy Wright, Oren Kisby, Ewan Adair, Roger Sott, Stephen Robinson.
CLICK HERE FOR PICTURES OF THE U15 XV v Ballymena
Iron Maidens
CLICK HERE FOR PICTURES
This week Ards Ladies welcomed Malone to Hamilton Park in their fist home league match.
This match was a huge contrast to last weeks encounter at Quins.
The Ards girls got off to a strong start going ahead by 31 – 0 at half time as they proved to be just too strong for Malone. The second half was again one way traffic and despite the game being blown up early they finished the match with an impressive score line of 56 – 0.
The coaches would like to congratulate all those who played. It will now be back to the training ground for a couple of weeks before they travel to Queens for their next fixture on 27th November.
Training & Playing
Seniors – Monday and Wednesday at 7:00pm
Ladies – Mondays at 7:00pm
Youth – Tuesdays at 7:00pm
Movember
November will be renamed Movember this year and help raise awareness in relation to men’s health issues.
Movember is an event that runs through the month of November to raise money and awareness in relation to men’s health issues such as prostate and testicular cancer.
To help get Ards and running, a number of players at the Club will be ‘attempting’ to grow moustaches throughout the month in support of this worthy cause. People can donate to the charity online through the Movember website at uk.movember.com
A team has been registered for the Club under the name, Ards RFC and this way people can donate on behalf of the Club.
Please support this noble charity event.
Up Coming Events at Ards RFC
Sat 12th November – 8:00pm
St Trinians Disco
Sat 19th November – 6:00pm
This event has had to be moved from the Friday night due to Drumbo Park having made a mistake with the booking. If this causes anyone a problem please contact Neil Workman.
Ards RFC’s major fundraiser for 2011 will be a trip to the Drumbo Dogs Track, on
Please see the club Web Site for more information. http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/ards/
Fri 25th November – 12:30pm
FARLS luncheon at Ards Club House
Please Contact Douglas Harley for more Details.
26th November – 7:15pm
Poker Night
Please contact Stephen Nutt for more Details
This week at Hamilton Park
The 1st XV are away Dungannon on Friday night in the Ulster League. Ko 8:00pm.
The 2nd XV match against Dungannon has been postponed due to Dungannon having a Cup fixture.
The 3rd XV are away to Ballymena in the league KO 2:30 while the 4ths are at home to Hollywood, also a 2:30 ko.
The under 19s are on the road again this week as they travel to Instonians, 2:30pm ko, and the under 15s travel to Ophir, ko at 11:00am.
