Carrick 1st XV retained the Hawkins Cup with a 47 points to nil demolition of Larne in the second leg of the competition between the two Clubs at Tom Simms Memorial Park on Saturday 20th December. Having to overcome an 18 point deficit after their 23-6 defeat at Larne at the start of the season, the Maxol-sponsored Carrick side set about their task in detemined and ruthless fashion and had overhauled their opponents with three converted tries by half-time and then added another four in the second half. After taking ten or so minutes to get to grips with the cold and windy conditions, Carrick began to take an iron grip on the game which they never released. They had Larne under terrible pressure in the scrum, shoving them backwards on three or four occasions, their line-out was totally dominant and they were masters at the break-down. As a result, and despite the conditions,the home team treated the spectators to a display of open rugby, with backs and forwards all involved. Once Carrick had adapted to playing into the stiffish breeze in the first half, they managed to play a fair bit of it in the Larne half, helped it must be said by some poor line kicking from the visitors. By contrast, when the home team had the elements in their favour in the second half, they hardly ever allowed Larne out of their own territory and kept them under pressure for the entire half. Their were fine performances all round from Carrick but credit must first of all go to the front five , and particularly the front row of Adam Gibney, Neil Hanna and Robbie Williams, who gave them a great platform in the scrum. Credit must also go to the back row who competed ferociously at the break-down and made a lot of ground with ball in hand. The line-out operated very smoothly, with Andy Kincaid, Chris Rodgers and Curtis Rea the main ball winners, despite the conditions and not only did Carrick win all of their own throws but quite a few by of the opposition’s as well. The half-backs, Kenny Topping and Luke Whittall, after a few early problems, kicked well out of hand and out- half Whittall had another good day with the boot, converting six of the seven tries, a couple from difficult angles. All of the backs contributed to the occasion, with Johnny Cullen and Johnny Sheriff exploiting Larne’s mid-field defensive frailty to make incisive breaks while the back three of Aaron McKinney, Peter Simpson and Kyle Jordan ran some excellent lines in attack. Five of the seven tries though came from the back five in the pack where Ryan McGonigle and Curtis Rea, until they had to go off with injuries, were potent attacking carriers. and each claimed a try. Ross Marsden was effective as ever at the break-down while the two second rows,Chris Rodgers and Andy Kincaid, also carried strongly and got a try apiece, Kincaid’s being probably the best and most popular of the afternoon. However, it remains a mystery as to why the other fourteen Carrick players, including the injured Aaron McKinney on the touch-line, each claimed afterwards to have scored that particular try! When Carrick did have to defend, they did so resolutely, with Adam Gibney once again showing how effective he is in this role, putting in a number of big hits.
The first ten minutes or so of the match were were very scrappy as both sides struggled to come to terms with the conditions. However, Carrick adapted much the better and took the lead after fifteen minutes when second row Chris Rodgers burst through several tackles to score near the posts. The ground-work for the try was laid in a fine Johnny Cullen break and a strong burst into the Larne 22 by Ryan McGonigle follwed by quick re-cycling which left Larne with too few defenders when the big second row made his charge to the line. Luke Whittall added the conversion points. Ten minutes later, Johnny Sheriff scored an excellent solo try, breaching the Larne defence following a scrum on the visitors’ 10 metre line and out-pacing the cover defence to touch down in the corner. From a very difficult angle, and into a strong breeze, Luke Whittall again added the conversion points. The only real threat offered by Larne was from a couple of long range penalty attempts which drifted wide and Carrick over-hauled them in terms of aggregate score when Curtis Rea scored on the stroke of half-time following a well timed incursion into the line by Aaron McKinney and more quick re-cycling which allowed Rea to take a good line through the mid-field and brush aside a couple of tackles to score near the posts. Luke Whittall converted to give Carrick a 21 points to nil lead at half-time.
The second half was totally dominated by the home side and, had they not had the disruption of a number of injuries, they would probably have scored more than four tries. The first came early in the half when the impressive Ryan McGonigle picked up from the back of a dominant Carrick scrum and moved in-field before forcing his way over the line. Again, Whittall added the points. There then followed a period of injury stoppages and Carrick lost both Ryan McGonigle and Curtis Rea. However, the substitutes proved more than adequate, Ross Crymble taking over Curtis Rea’s role in the line-out seamlessly and Nathan Greenwood carrying strongly in the re-jigged back row. Indeed, it was Greenwood who got Carrick’s next try after twenty minutes of the second half when a line-out catch and drive took Carrick up to the Larne line and the replacement got the touch-down as the pack drove over. This was the only occasion on which Luke Whittall missed with a conversion atttempt but Carrick now led by 33 points to nil. Ten minutes later, Johnny Sheriff got his second try when an elegant side-step wrong-footed the visitors’ defence to enable himco to score near the posts. Luke Whittal added the conversion points and then following the kick-off, Andy Kincaid gathered the ball in loose play about thirty metres out- subsequent claims that it was thirty centimetres are untrue- from the Larne try line and brushed aside a number of would be tacklers on his way to touching down, adding to his impressive tally of tries this season. With injury stoppages in the cold conditions becoming more frequent, the referee sensibly blew for time with with five minutes or so remaining leaving Carrick wiiners by 47 points to nil on the day and by 53 points to 23 in aggregate over the two matches.
This was an impressive display by Carrick but they will face much tougher oppositiion in their next match when they face Ballyclare at Tom Simms Memorial Park on 3rd January in the first round of the Towns’ Cup.
The Carrick team which faced Larne was:-
A. McKinney; K. Jordan, J. Cullen(Capt), J. Sheriff, P. Simpson; L. Whittall, K. Topping; A. Gibney, N. Hanna, R. Williams, A. Kincaid, C. Rodgers, C, Rea(N. Greenwood), R. Marsden, R. McGonigle(R. Crymble).
