Carrick 1st XV lost their League encounter with local rivals Ballyclare by 29 points to 3 at Tom Simms Memorial Park on Saturday 8th December. On a cold and blustery day, the title chasing visitors always looked the more likely to score tries and the frustration for the Maxol-sponsored Carrick side is that they could not turn long periods of dominance in the first half into points. The Carrick scrum had Ballyclare under pressure for much of the match and they looked more secure in the line-out. For most of the first half, Carrick used the strong wind at their backs to play in Ballyclare territory and dominated possession for long periods. However, by half-time, all they had to show for it was a single Karl Wilkinson penalty. On the other hand, Ballyclare made just three visits to the Carrick half and probably should have had more than the single try they did score had they been a bit more clinical in their finishing. The second half was pretty much one way traffic, with the visitors spending most of the half camped in Carrick territory and claiming four more tries for their efforts.
Carrick dominated the early stages with the breeze at their backs and shoved their opponents backwards at the first couple of scrums. However, they were rarely able to get their backs moving and turned the ball over too often. After a couple of misses in difficult kicking conditions, Karl Wilkonson gave Carrick the lead when he put over a penalty from the Ballyclare 10 metre line after half an hour. In the last five minute of the half, Ballyclare managed their first sustained visit to Carrick territory and, on the stroke of half-time, scored an unconverted try from a line-out catch and drive.
In the second half, Carrick were pinned in their own half for all but a few minutes towards the end. The visitors claimed their second try two minutes into the half when, despite a brave defensive effort by Glen Picken, they won the ball on the ground following a well-placed kick up to the Carrick line and dived over. Their next try came ten minutes later when they went over from another line-out catch and drive. A few minutes later, Carrick lost centre John Anderson to injury and, down to fourteen men, any slim hopes they might have entertained disappeared. Ballyclare added two more tries after twenty-eight and thirty-three minutes and converted both to take their total to 29 points. Carrick had their best period of the half in the closing stages, with some strong carrying by Ryan McGonigle, Daryl Smith and Glen Baxter. However, they just could not create a scoring opportunity.
Despite Ballyclare’s margin of victory, there were some good aspects to the game from a Carrick perspective. The scrum, especialy in the first half, looked very solid and credit must go to the front row of Adam Gibney, Glen Baxter and Robbie Williams. Baxter and Ryan McGonigle, not for the first time this season, made a lot of yards with ball in hand. The defensive effort was good throughout, with Captain Andy Kincaid leading by example and putting in a number of thumping tackles.The main problem, on this occasion, seemed to be a lack of good, quick ball at the break-down and credit must be given to the opposition for their “smartness” in this area.
Carrick now have two weeks off over the Christmas period and their next match is another local derby, this time with Larne, at Tom Simms Memorial Park on 29 December.
The Carrick team which faced Ballyclare was:
A. McIlroy; J. Sheriff, J. Wady, J. Anderson, K. Love; K. Wilkinson, G. Picken; A. Gibney, G. Baxter, R. Williams, A. Kincaid(Capt), D. Smith, M. Patterson, C. Rea, R. McGonigle.
Fixtures for Saturday 15th December are:-
1st XV – no match
2nd XV vs Instonians III, away
3rd XV vs Banbridge IV, home
4th XV vs Antrim II, away
