Dalzells and Samsung onboard with Banbridge RFC
With a new season of All Ireland League rugby under way, Banbridge are delighted to have Dalzells of Markethill with Samsung onboard as our new main club sponsors. Dalzells have been long time supporters of Banbridge RFC and the latest development is testament to the Markethill based electrical suppliers commitment to local sport.
A family business with more than 55 years of expertise in home appliances, Dalzells are the largest Independent Home Appliance Retailer in Northern Ireland.
Visit armaghelectrical.com to see their full range of Samsung appliances and much more.
Club Captain Ian Porter (left) wears the new 2013-14 Dalzells and Samsung sponsored 1st XV kit.
A lesson from the Students BANBRIDGE 1STs 13 Queens 21 October 5, 2013
After a second defeat in as many games, Banbridge find themselves pointless and, albeit at a very early stage of the season, in a relegation place in Division 2A of the All-Ireland League.
It is a far cry from the whirlwind start to last season’s campaign which saw the side rack up five bonus point wins, including a 20-45 success over Saturday’s opposition Queen’s, before suffering their first setback.
However coach Daniel Soper was far from despondent when reflecting on last weekend’s game. “It was certainly an improvement on the previous week’s display in Cashel,” he said. “Our set piece was solid with a much better lineout and the threequarters created some good plays.
“But there’s no question that we are still committing too many errors. We coughed up too much ball and allowed Queen’s too many turnovers and against a good student side, which Queen’s is, you pay the price for that.
“Quite simply we need to hang onto the ball for longer. When we do that I know we’ll start winning.”
The coach saw the students’ first try as the pivotal point in the game. “We were pressing at the end of the first half and dropped the ball behind the Queen’s line. They gathered, counter-attacked and scored at the other end. So what might have been a 13-0 interval scoreline became 6-7.”
Soper might also have mentioned the loss of Shandon Scott as a factor. The out-half had settled nicely into the No 10 jersey since returning to the club from Malone. But the injury he picked up in the pre-game warm-up necessitated a late re-shuffle in the home backline, with Adam Doherty moving to out-half, Miles O’Hagan moving to full-back and James Andrews coming into the centre.
Ian Porter’s early penalty gave Bann the lead but Chris Colvin hit back with that opening Queen’s try from a move that covered the length of the pitch. Richie McMaster converted and although Porter added a second penalty before the break Queen’s had that single point advantage when play resumed.
Bann might have made more of a clearly superior set scrum but a five metre opportunity was wasted, while Queen’s did well to retain possession on their put-in despite intense pressure from the home eight. In contrast to Bann’s profligacy the students made the most of every scrap of possession that came their way, adding further tries through Damon Hall and the impressive Stuart McIlwaine.
McMaster’s conversions of both touchdowns left Bann 15 points adrift. Scott’s late withdrawal brought Jonny Little onto the home bench and the centre’s introduction to the action midway through the second period brought a cutting edge to his side’s attacks. With five minutes remaining Bann built up a head of steam, going through the phases to allow Little to run a good line and go in at the posts for Porter to convert.
But in the time remaining Bann were unable to add the score that would have salvaged the losing bonus point that their efforts probably merited.
This weekend Bann travel to take on Rainey in the Ulster League where they will be hoping to pick up a second win in the provincial campaign, while the Seconds host Donaghadee in the second round of the Junior Cup.
Makeshift Under 19s take the points BANBRIDGE U19s 15 Instonians 10 October 5, 2013
With Macauley Little still injured, Jason Gribbon on Ulster U-18 duty and Aaron Kennedy in Bann’s All-Ireland squad, the U-19s were forced to field a makeshift half-back combination in the shape of Alan Thompson and Jack O’Hagan.
Instonians’ 5th minute penalty was very much against the run of play, but they managed to hold onto that slender advantage on the scoreboard until late in the first half. Bann flanker Richard Graham made the initial breach in the visitors’ line to set up a ruck five metres out from which prop Jonny McCreery proved unstoppable as he crashed over for the opening try.
Early in the second half lock Matthew Beck made a great break before off-loading to Ben Cross, with the centre defying the efforts of three defenders to bring him down as he made the try line.
Instonians were still very much in the game and prolonged pressure on the home line saw them pick up the converted try that levelled the scores with ten minutes remaining.
Bann responded from the re-start, with Graham’s strong, direct running taking him on a 30 metre run through the despairing tackle of the Inst full-back for the winning try.
Beck, a graduate from last season’s U-17 side, won the man-of-the-match accolade for a non-stop display of hard tackling and direct running.
