Due to a mixture of administrative mix-ups and dubious cancellations by other clubs, Banbridge Seconds finally took to the field for the first time in five weeks when they entertained Carrick Firsts in the Conference League. With the players maintaining as much sharpness as possible in training over this period, it was still the competitive edge that required testing.
From the start the home side looked eager to get out of the blocks as they took on their opponents with some steady progress up the field, the forwards punching holes in the home defence. When attacking possibilities opened up, however, they often chose the wrong one, which enabled Carrick to get back out of their half on the back of Bann’s mistakes. Although Bann seemed to hold all the trumps, the first 20 minutes continued in the same vein, with Carrick generally able to keep Bann in the centre of the park.
Then a couple of penalties awarded to Bann allowed Shandon Scott to set up an attacking line-out inside the visitors “22”. Clean ball was won by David Little and this paved the way for the pack to work some pick and drives spearheaded by Jonny Martin and Michael Cromie. With these drives held up two metres short of the line, winger Clark McCallister saw his own wing uncovered, and he picked the ball from the ruck and showed great strength to power in for the opening score. The same player failed to add the extras from the touch-line.
Bann moved further ahead seven minutes later when impressive centre James Andrews came storming onto a ball on the half-way line and brushed aside the defence to move play deep into the “22” where he did well to maintain possession until support arrived from the forwards, who then took control and soon found themselves under the posts. A quick release by Scott from one surge allowed Cromie the space to drive through for a well taken team score. McCallister’s simple conversion stretched the lead to 12-0.
This burst of scoring seemed to make Bann over-confident and their laziness in the ruck allowed Carrick to convert a simple penalty to reduce the arrears 10 minutes before the break. Bann re-grouped and just before the whistle staged a very impressive rolling maul from their own half which took play within striking range of the visitors’ line. A series of breaks from the rear at this stage were, however, met by some impressive smother tackling by the Carrick defence, and they were able to keep Bann out until the interval.
Bann were made aware at the break of the need to re-enforce their dominance and up the tempo, and in the opening exchanges they certainly did so with constant pressure in the contact. This allowed them to gain good field position when Carrick were penalised for infringing in the ruck. A scrum was awarded, and the ever impressive Bann eight kept the march to the line under control, with Andy Davidson getting the reward for his efforts thus far with the touch down. McCallister moved the score on to 19-3 with the conversion.
Three minutes later Andrews again burst through on the half-way line, alternatively barging and weaving his way through the defence, eventually being stopped on the line. He was still able to hold on to the ball, but frustratingly he was adjudged to have made a forward pass to the supporting Bann player whose try was disallowed.
A Carrick penalty 10 minutes later reminded Bann that they were not out of sight as the gap was reduced to 19-6. At this stage, Bann upped the tempo again and this facet was ultimately to produce the last competitive edge of the game. Two Bann players collided head on when tackling a Carrick player, resulting in hooker Lee Allen being taken to hospital as a precautionary measure after initial concerns over a neck injury.
With the game having to be moved onto the upper pitch for the last 15 minutes, the driving impetus and desire was understandably muted. However, even with Carrick able to gain a converted try, Bann still found the necessary edge to produce a game-killing penalty to end the game 22-13.
Although deserving winners, Bann took too many wrong options when in key areas, but this could be down lack of game time, but the general attitude in the team was good after the game in that they are keen to improve on this performance.
Thankfully the injury to Lee was confirmed the next day as concussion only, and his team-mates and coaches wish him a speedy recovery.
CLOGHER VALLEY THIRDS 0 BANN FOURTHS 62
Bann Fourths were in control of this game from the outset. The try line was breached after only five minutes, full-back John Porter grabbing the opening score for Ali Lewis to add the conversion.
Clogher’s defence worked hard to keep their line intact despite intense pressure but Lewis slotted a penalty home to take his side’s lead into double figures. Colin Hamilton raced in for Bann’s second try before the home side’s No 8 added to his team’s difficulties when he was yellow-carded for stamping.
Bann were not slow to capitalise on their numerical advantage, touching down three more times before the half-time whistle through Hamilton, Ben Martin and Sam Boyd.
Even restored to full strength Clogher were no match for a rampant Bann side which added three second half tries to their tally. Flanker Brian Curran got a well deserved score to cap a very impressive performance, Porter got his second to round off another fine game and Hamilton completed his hat-trick.
Clogher came back in to the match in the final 10 minutes but strong tackling secured a defensive clean sheet.
MALONE U-17s 5 BANN U-17s 24
Bann’s U-17s travelled to Malone on Saturday to play the only team to have beaten them this season. The match would decide who topped the table this week and both teams were well aware it was a must win game.
The home side had the early possession and spent the first five minutes in the Bann “22”. A series of four conceded penalties forced Bann back on their line and Malone took a quick tap driving over to score an unconverted try.
Bann didn’t panic and steadily worked their way into the Malone half with the forwards, led by captain Jonny McCreery, getting the better of the physical encounters.
The pressure told when Malone gave away a penalty which Macauley Little took quickly and charged for the line. He showed great strength in making it with two defenders trying hard to stop him. Adam Doherty slotted home a fine conversion to leave the score 5-7 in Bann’s favour.
The forwards continued to battle hard against the wind and slope of the pitch with Thomas Carlisle, Chris Knox and Robert Poots showing good controlled aggression in the rucks and counter-rucks, keeping Bann encamped in Malone territory. This paid dividends when Peter Cromie charged down a Malone kick on the “22” and scored, to add to his ever increasing try count. Doherty landed another fine kick to increase Bann’s lead.
Banbridge defended well for the rest of the half as Malone pushed hard to get back into the game, Doherty put in two try-saving tackles and Kasper Kruzyki, Adam Kelly and Kyle McConnell repelled back waves of home team forward charges.
The second half gave Bann the advantage of the slope and Little and Doherty managed the game well, putting the ball deep into the Malone half before launching the backline. Unfortunately a number of penalties saw the visitors again in their own “22” with the possibility of a Malone score, but the U17s have toughened up over the season and do not give away scores easily. They hung on and eventually good lineout work from Poots and Cromie won back the ball which Little despatched deep into the Malone half.
From there the Bann backs moved the ball sharply to give full-back Ryan Graham a chance to show his pace which he did superbly, leaving two defenders in his wake as he ran the ball in from 40 metres range.
This score really put the match beyond Malone’s reach and with the Bann scrum and lineout now firing on all cylinders it was only a matter of time before they added another. From a Bann scrum 10 metres out, Little dummied his opposite number and crossed the line to complete a great personal performance.
The final score reflected a true team performance from all twenty players used. The pack was immense and never stopped running and working for each other. The backs did not get as much chance to run the ball this week but showed they can play a tight controlled game when necessary. Doherty used his experience to good effect and Little showed his great potential. There are two men-of-the-match this week, Carlisle who goes from strength every week and whose physicality is vital to the pack and Little who managed the game intelligently.
MALONE U-15s 5 BANN U-15s 22
Bann’s U-13s travelled to Malone hoping to keep the pressure on league leaders Derry. A slow start saw Bann five points down after conceding a try scored by Malone’s strong running inside centre.
At this stage Bann were playing with neither confidence nor control. It was against the run of play that the outstanding James Waugh, showing superb pace and strength, scored two excellent long-range tries to give Bann an unlikely 10-5 half-time lead.
The second half saw Malone apply pressure to Bann’s line. They decided to run several tap penalties but each time captain Matthew Beck drove the Malone attackers back with crunching tackles.
Bann’s continuity improved and after good work from Keelan McCambridge and Cameron Cromie, James Waugh raced away for his third try, again unconverted.
With this lead the Bann pack took control with Thomas McRoberts showing his power to beat several Malone defenders only to be held up just short of the try line.
With ten minutes remaining mobile No 8 David McIlroy showed excellent pace and awareness as he broke from a ruck and out-flanked the Malone defence to score under the posts, the conversion being made by Adam Copes.
Special mention should be made of Jake Chambers and David Waddell who did well in their first start at prop.
The team agreed they had played well below their best, but to beat a Malone team 22-5 shows excellent potential.
MALONE U-13s 5 BANN U-13s 26
Banbridge U-13s went into this game looking like a wounded tiger after their last outing against Portadown two weeks previously.
From the Malone kick-off Bann started off the stronger. The forwards immediately showed their intent by running at the Malone pack to test their defence. After several phases of play Bann quickly found themselves in the Malone “22”. Josh Chambers took the ball from the base of a ruck and showed great determination and power to crash over the line from 10 metres carrying three Malone tacklers with him. Ben Thompson converted.
From the Malone re-start Dubem Ajeh caught the drop-kick and showed the opposition his strength by shrugging of several attempted tacklers before being bundled into touch by the Malone full back. Bann won the opposition line out and Matthew Blaine carried the ball into the Malone “22”, off-loading to the impressive Ajeh who side-footed his opposite number to score Bann’s second try, with Thompson’s conversion again hitting the mark.
The second half saw Alexander Cousins come into second row and Matthew McClelland line out on the wing. The Bann drop kick saw the forwards put pressure on the Malone pack and they were rewarded when the home centre knocked on. From the scrum No 8 William Cousins picked up and went blind to force a line out. The ever impressive Sheldon Savage took the ball short at the line out and after making the hard yards on his own was able to off load to Alexander Cousins who beat his opposite number to score in the corner. The conversion was missed.
Bann were now on a roll being 19 points up without reply. They went on the attack again but a loose pass saw the ball go to the speedy Malone fly half. He linked with his threequarters and the winger looked home and dry. Thompson made good ground to put in a try-saving tackle but Malone recycled before the defence could re-organise and the scrum half was able to score in the corner. The try went unconverted.
Now realising Bann were vulnerable on the retreat, Malone knew they would have to run everything to get anything out of this game. With the centre pairing of Ajeh and Charlie Jones pressurising the Malone midfield with a blitz defence Ajeh’s big hit drew a gasp from the crowd. Jones picked up the loose ball and skilfully danced his way through the covering defence to score under the posts. Thompson converted.
Bann were now oozing confidence with scrum half Max Buller pulling the strings and working on training ground routines. He was looking for the pack making the hard yards through runners off the base of the rucks. Chambers, Toby Baxter, Savage, Cousins and Angus Corbett duly obliged. With a ruck formed five metres from the Malone line and Bann looking good to score again the full time whistle sounded.
This was a great performance from the boys who after a bizarre day in Portadown two weeks ago bounced back in a perfect way.
Bann welcomed Corbett back into the fray after a year’s absence from the action. After a half on the wing and a half at lock he showed in no uncertain terms what his natural position is.
This was a superb performance by the whole team who on the strength of this performance should fear no opposition. Pick of the pack were Chambers, Savage, William Cousins and Baxter with Corbett in his time at lock showing what a great ball carrier he is.
In the backs Buller and Thompson’s hard work at training is really paying off. The partnership between Jones, Ajeh and out-half Thompson will pose problems for any midfield defence.
By a unanimous decision man-of-the-match goes to Ajeh for his ferocious tackling and unstoppable running capped of with one great try and two assists.
Training continues on Wednesday nights from 7pm. All 1998 birthdays welcome.
