Ards welcomed Dromore to Hamilton Park on Saturday in their return league fixture. In recent seasons Ards have found Dromore to be their ‘bogey’ team; despite their lowly league position they defeated Ards at the start of the season at Dromore.
CLICK HERE FOR PICTURES OF ARDS III XV v Dromore
Making their first appearance of the season on the main pitch, Ards received the Dromore kick off defending the Scrabo Tower end and almost immediately conceded a penalty when the referee deemed Ards to have illegally blocked of the ball. The Dromore center stepped and converted well from the Ards 10 meter line.
Ards found themselves on the back foot in the opening 20 minutes and conceded 2 converted tries to find themselves 17- 0 down.
A gathering behind the posts after conceding this second try and some harsh words by manager Gareth Paden and captain Jay McKenzie did the trick for Ards.
Ards upped the tempo of their game and attacked the Dromore line ably led by the returning Kircubbin man Ryan Doherty and Dee Heron in the pack and Jay McKenzie, Ewan Adair and Garret Dynes in the backs.
Ards pulled a try back through full back Brown, when he finished off in the corner after several phases of play which saw the Dromore defence scattered because of some intelligent lines of run by out half Chris Webster and winger Willie Maynard. The conversion was missed b y scrum half Graham Martin.
Ards quickly followed this score up with a fine converted try by winger Maynard who showed all his pace and strength taking on his opposite number and shrugging off a despairing cover tackle to score to the left of the posts. Ards 12 – Dromore 17.
Ards were back in the game and continued their brand of high tempo rugby. However, Ards found themselves being penalised all to regularly at the breakdown and after one such penalty the Dromore center slotted the ball over the posts.
Flanker Doherty and winger Dynes attacked the re-start forcing Dromore to concede a line out just out inside their 22. A well worked line out saw second row Ian Presho secure ball and shift it to his second row partner Mathieu Wilson to attack the narrow side and off load to Heron who barged over in the corner. A well deserved try which went unconverted.
As highlighted earlier Ards were conceding to many penalties and did so again for the Dromore center to convert again in the last play of the half.
Half – time: Ards 17 – Dromore 23
Attacking Scrabo Tower in the second half and with the breeze on their backs Ards opened the scoring through Doherty when he took a quick penalty 10 meters from the Dromore line and showed his strength by forcing his way over with several would be tacklers trailing in his wake. The conversion was missed.
Ards took the lead for the first time in the game when scrum half Martin converted a penalty after the Dromore second row forgot what sport he was playing and thought he was David Haye! Ards 25 – Dromore 23.
This lead was short lived and to Dromore’s credit they replied with a well struck penalty after flanker Connor McCullough was penalised at the breakdown and followed this up with an unconverted try when the Dromore full back intercepted a promising Ards move and ran in from his 10 meter line despite the chasing Maynard and Dynes. Ards 25 – Dromore 31.
Ards were not about to lie down and concede this game and threw everything back at Dromore; prop forward Richard Hamilton, hooker Andrew Fletcher carrier ball well, in the backs centers McKenzie and Adair ran their usual hard lines.
Full back Brown again showed his pace and eye for a gap when he split the Dromore defence, ghosting between both centers and showing great awareness to continue round behind the posts to score a crucial try which scrum half Martin converted. Ards 32 – Dromore 31.
Spectators on the far touchline, including Waldorf and Stadler (you know who you are!) queried the score but they had no need to worry when second row Wilson barged his way over for a well deserved try in the club house corner; the conversion was missed.
Ards saw out the remaining minutes comfortably and the final whistle went giving Ards a well deserved win.
Final score: Ards 37 – Dromore 31.
A great game to watch but to many penalties were conceded and will have to addressed in future games.
It was great to see Ryan Doherty returning from his travels in America, Ryan adds extra fire and spirit to the team and leads by example.
One Kircubbin man returns and another goes, good luck to flanker Connor McCullough who played his last game of the season and heads over to England next week with work.
This Saturday Ards 3rds are away to Cooke hoping to avenge their defeat at Ards earlier in the season.
