The Maxol-sponsored Carrick 1st XV followed up their emphatic win over Larne last week with another over Armagh II in the Conference League at TomSimms Memorial Park on Saturday 28 December, beating their opponents by 29 points to nil. The match was played in freezing, windy and showery conditions which were hardly conducive to good rugby. Nontheless, Carrick managed to control the game, keeping ball in hand when required and kicking soundly when they had the wind at their backs in the second half. By contrast, the visitors rarely threatened the Carrick line and, even with the breeze in their favour in the first half, could not manage to keep Carrick confined to their own territory for any length of time. This was mainly because the home side kept control of the ball for long periods and were content to make the hard yards ball in hand. Indeed, so successful was Carrick’s strategy that, depite playing into the teeth of a gale, they turned round at half-time leading by 8 points to nil.Only in the middle of the second half did the home team let their standards drop,falling off tackles, failing to control the ball and, above all, starting to concede penalties. Indeed, they were probably fortunate that the referee did not produce a yellow card. However, Carrick recovered strongly in the last fifteen minutes and any faint hopes Armagh may have entertained of a come-back were well and truly dashed as the home side ran in two further tries. In the conditions, the back row was key and the Carrick trio of Curtis Rea, Neil Marsden and Nathan Greenwood performed exceptionally well, winning turn-overs and carrying strongly. No one worked harder though than second row Chris Rodgers who was everywhere, carrying, tackling and winning ball on the floor. The scrum was strong, pushing Armagh off their own ball on a couple of occasions, while Chris Ferris, Curtis Rea and Chris Rodgers disrupted the visitors’ line-out to the point where they preferred to tap and go from penalties rather than risk the throw to a line-out. Behind the scrum, Aaron Mckinney provided a good service and kicked well in the second half as did his half-back partner Johnny Sheriff. Reece Hamilton again showed up well in the centre, showing an excellent side-step in taking his second half try. Hamilton’s centre partner, Johnny Cullen, ran and handled well and was strong in defence as always. Jason Wady, playing out of position on the wing, had a good game and took his two tries well, running an excellent line for his second.
Both sides struggled to adapt to the windy and freezing conditions in the early stages but it soon became apparent that Carrick, despite playing into the wind, were coping the better. They took the lead after eight minutes when Jason wady went over in the corner for the first of his two tries. The move started with a tap penalty from which Adam Gibney made ground into the Armagh 22 and then the ball was quickly re-cycled, moved left with backs and forwards handling before Chis Rodgers gave the final pass for Wady to squeeze in at the corner. In the conditions, there was never any chance of the conversion even reaching the posts, let alone going over, so the try remained unconverted and Carrick led by 5 points to nil. They continued to look the more dangerous side as the visitors struggled to make use of the breeze at their backs to play territory and it was the home side which went further ahead j after thirty-three minutes when Johnny Sheriff put over a penalty from close in and in front of the posts, an attempt at goal being virtually unthinkable from any other position. Carrick easily held onto their 8 points to nil lead until the break
Carrick started the second half strongly and went further ahead after five minutes when they stole the ball on Armagh’s throw-in to a line-out, Michael Smiley and Aaron McKinney made ground and then the ball was re-cycled and moved wide for Reece Hamilton to step his marker and race in from the Armagh 22. With the wind now behind him, Johnny Sheriff added the conversion points. Carrick continued to dominate but in the middle of the half seemed to ease off and Armagh enjoyed their best period of possession, aided by Carrick’s failure to control the ball on occasions and a high penalty count against the home side. However, thanks to their defence, which was excellent throughout, Carrick weathered this period without conceding any points and came back strongly in the closing stages. They added two more tries, the first coming in the twenty-eighth minute of the half after a catch and drive from a line-out, quickly re-cycled ball and an excellent line from Jason Wady which enabled him to split the Armagh defence and race through for his second try. Johnny Sheriff again added the conversion points.Then, in the closing minutes, from a Carrick 5 metre scrum, in which they shoved their opponents backwards, Aaron McKinney gathered and rounded the fringe defence to reach out and score. Johnny Sheriff put over the conversion kick to leave Carrick leading by 29 points to nil. Although some time remained on the clock, the referee sensibly blew up to let the players – and spectators-get back to the warmth of the Clubhouse!
This was another good all round performance by Carrick but the quality of the oposition in the last two matches has to be considered and they wiil face a much sterner test when the face Dromore in the first round of the Towns’ Cup at home on 4th January.
The Carrick team against Armagh was:-
K. Jordan; N. Hastings, J. Cullen, R. Hamilton, J. Wady; J. Sheriff, A. McKinney; A. Gibney, N. Hanna, M. Smiley, C. Rodgers, C. Ferris, N. Marsden, C. Rea, N. Greenwood.
