Ballymena 5’s hosted Randalstown 2’s in the semi final of the Forster Cup. The home side won
With both teams fielding their strongest sides this was going to be a great game of rugby. Ballymena who play a league below Randalstown therefore started the match as underdogs.
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Ballymena started the stronger of the two sides and soon found themselves deep inside the visitors half. Randalstown defended well and after a series of wrong decisions from the braid men saw a turnover for Randalstown who cleared their lines.
At 20 minutes the Ballymena forwards started to rumble down the centre of the pitch with a strong maul. When the maul was finally halted by Randalstown a quick ruck ball released the Ballymena backs. The ball was quickly moved through the hands to full back Jason McKeown who scored the games first try to the right of the posts. Michael Smith kicked the conversion, 7-0.
Ballymena collected the restart and again went on the attack through their forwards who getting the better of their opposition in the rucks and mauls. After a long period of pressure from the forwards the ball again was spread wide for Jason McKeown to split the Randalstown defence to race under the posts. Michael Smith added the extra points, 14-0
Randalstown who were now on the back foot found themselves getting a few penalties on the halfway line. On each of these times the Randalstown captain opted for the posts. The resulting kicks both went wide of the uprights.
Ballymena started to take full control of the game as Randalstown looked down and out but to their credit they rallied and after a series of line outs found themselves in the Ballymena half. From a line out on the Ballymena 22 Randalstown launched an attack that saw them fire the ball out wide to their fullback who scored in the corner. Randalstown added an excellent conversion from the touch line, 14-7.
After this score Randalstown regained some belief as they started to push Ballymena back into their half. It was only a matter of time before the Randalstown pressure turned into points. The ball was moved wide which resulted a Randalstown winger going over in the corner. A superb touch line kick split the up rights, 14-14.
The earlier momentum had now swung in Randalstown’s favour. Ballymena had to defend their line for the remainder off the half. On the stroke of half time Randalstown forced an error from the braid men which resulted in a penalty. Randalstown opted for the posts and 3 points were added. Half time 14-17.
The second half got under way with Randalstown on the attack but a determined Ballymena’s defence repelled everything the young men from Randalstown could throw at them. After 10 minutes of constant pressure Ballymena finally turned the ball over in the ruck and started a 10 minute spell of pressure on the Randalstown defence.
At 70 minutes Ballymena were awarded a line out deep in the visitor half. From this Ballymena put together the match winning move when the ball was moved to second centre Mathew Banks who broke Randalstown defensive line to crash under the posts. Michael Smith added the conversion, 21-17.
With 6 minutes on the clock Randalstown rallied and went searching for the score that would swing the semi final in their favour but Ballymena defence could not be breached.
The final score was 21-17 to the braid men in a game where both teams showed great heart in defence and attack. Ballymena now go on to face Carrick 3’s in the final at ravenhill on 20th April.
Team J.Allen, D.Cooke, D.McNeill, P.McBride, C.Smith, D.Gaston, K.Doherty, T.Robinson, R.Patterson, M.Smith, B.Gillian, R.Watson, R.Maybin, D.Suiters, J.McKeown subs- I.Cruikshank, P.Kenny, M.Banks, D.Beggs
