After last week’s great triumph in the League final, Carrick travelled for a scheduled friendly against an up and coming Lurgan at Toberwheney Lane.
This was a great opportunity to relax after so many tough competitive league and championship games for the newly crowned Carrick team. Even so this was always going to be a tough challenge against the Junior High School amalgamation of Lurgan.
Carrick Reds opted to give several of their replacement panel a chance to show some form with the cup campaign on the near horizon. Thomas Fleming, Aaron Rea, Jack King, Rory Magill, Jordan Robinson, Jamie Craig, Andrew Campbell and David Stewart who played last week for Carrick medallion all started in a new look team.
Such is the strength of the squad that Carrick were able to trade blows with Lurgan in a highly entertaining first half where Lurgan scored three well worked tries set up by a talented out-half Michael Hanna son of the legendary Portadown player Bobby Hanna. Carrick Reds were always in the hunt with 2 tries of their own from Matthew Fisher.
The only changes made by the Carrick coaching brigade were through injury but it did allow the introduction of Daniel McBurney, Jake Porter, Sam Wallace and Conor Cambridge at scrum-half. John Stewart came on at hooker and Rory Magill moved to back row.
In a fifteen minute period the boys in Red surged into an insurmountable lead playing some real champagne rugby which brought praise from all sides. Fisher added a fourth. Porter broke through to score at the posts and pick of the bunch big Jamie Craig sprinted 80 metres to score in the corner. No pressure of league points, it was all pure individual and team expression in the joys of the noble art. Corey Kelly’s hard work earned him a man of the match award with Neil Beggs not far behind, congratulations to both teams for another great game for the spectators and of course Carrickfergus R.F.C!
Next week back to business in the cup against Dungannon with a quarter final place on offer. Can the Reds set up a League and Cup double? Don’t bet against it!
