BALLYCLARE MARK HISTORIC YEAR BY WINNING QUALIFYING 2
Ballyclare Rugby Club will celebrate 65 years in existence next month and have made it a year to remember by winning Kukri Qualifying 2 after a 34-5 win away to Randalstown on Saturday. The team coached over the past three seasons by Bob Young has pressed for promotion over that time and last season were narrowly pipped by Bangor who have done well since returning to Section1. The Clare men led expertly this season by lock Rab Boyd , have only lost once at home in the past two seasons -to Clogher Valley in this year`s Towns Cup. In the league the White Hares in the current season only lost once also -away to Omagh who proved strong opposition alll season and only suffered two defeats themselves. In another historical twist it is exactly 40 years since Ballyclare gained promotion from the old Junior 2 league prior to the Qualifying structure and in fact the 1st Xv remained in the top Section for 31 years before being relegated a few seasons ago. The past two years has seen a real resurgence with a number of outstanding players from Ballyclare High 1st Xv joining the club and with the outstanding coaching from Bob Young plus a more dedicated approach to training a group of younger players from both the school and the club`s Youth section added to the old hands like ex Ulster Junior Willie Logan,Chris Coburn,Paul Morrow and scrum half Collie Morrow has all led to success that is on a par with the halcyon days of the Seventies and Eighties when both the Towns Cup and Junior Cup were won on a number of occasions. CLICK HERE for SHOTSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Ballyclare has played a brand of open rugby over the past two seasons rarely seen at this level and managed to record wins over Qualifying 1 teams in the cups.Last season the Clare reached the Towns Cup final and shared the oldest trophy in club rugby with City of Derry after a 27-27 pulsating draw. This season the team again got to Ravenhill for the Junior Cup final losing 17-7 to a particularly strong Ballynahinch 2nd XV.
Randalstown 5 Ballyclare 34
After Strabane were unable to field a side the previous week with the four points going to Ballyclare , the East Antrim men went to Neilsbrook on Saturday knowing a good win would be enough. To be fair the `Town team well coached by Gary Longwell held their own for the first half hour even though they have been hit by several injuries in the past weeks and again they were to lose no fewer than three players in the second half leading eventually to both skippers and the referee agreeing to a stoppage with at least 10 minutes remaining.After only four minutes from a penalty Clotworthy kicked to the 22 and a break by Wardrop was taken on by Rab Boyd and Reid who was halted near the line.But the ball was moved wide again from Clotworthy to put Byers in for a try that he could not convert.Another run from Wardrop gave wing Byers a chance but he was well tackled. Randalstown came back in midfield through their useful back row and though they were twice guilty of crossing, managed to go on to get atry on the right to make it 5-5 after 25 minutes played.Play was at times lack lustre but good work from J.McKinstry ended with skipper Boyd following up to go over for another of several fine tries this season and Byers conversion was just wide. The Clare pack with Logan,Weatherup and both McKinstry`s to the fore won loose ball in midfield and young prop D.Lawther ,another regulat try scorer this year powered over to give the Clare a 15-5 lead.Byers was then unlucky to hit a post with a long range penalty and later made a run that almost gave R.Boyd another score but it was still 15-5 at the interval
An error from a Clare player allowed `Town to show up well after the restart but they had a player down with a bad ankle injury and he had to be carried off For the visitors Clotworthy kicked to the opposite 22 and after a strong tackle by a home player on a Clare attacker , the Randalstown man had to go off with an elbow injury.The home team continued to give everything but the pressure had to tell and a good break from N.Lawther put centre Crawford in for that key fourth try with Byers converting to lead 22-5.Unfotunately the home side lost another player and then the Clare had Clotwothy yellow carded. However a strong run from Wardrop and Logan ended with a try to the Clare scrum half to extend the lead.Another poweful drive from the veteran Logan was supported by Byers to allow Reid to get a try that was converted by Byers to make it 34-5.It wa sat this stage that both captains agreed to a halt to the game as the circumstances had made it no longer a contest.This signalled a major celebration from the Ballyclare team ,officials and other players who had appeared during the season but were out due to injuries both short and long term. Congratulations must go the team well led all year by Rab Boyd and the coaching staff under Bob Young,manager Pete Kirk, regular touch judge Chris Millar plus the officials who have helped keep this team well supported in the run in to a return to Qualifying 1 for next season when the Cloughan once again becomes a major venue for the other clubs at that level.
