The Maxol-sponsored Carrick 1st XV beat Larne by 37 points to 11 in the second leg of the Hawkins Cup at The Glynn on Saturday 21st December. The result means that Carrick won the Cup with an aggregate score of 60 points to 33, having won by just one point in the fixture at Tom Simms Memorial Park in September. No one is quite sure whether Carrick retained or regained the Cup as it hasn’t been played for in a while but as the Cup was in Larne’s possession it must be assumed it was the latter!
The game was played in wet, cold and windy conditions but, in the second half at any rate, Carrick turned in a fine performance of running rugby and ended up running in six tries while conceding just one. Coach Warren McLean used a full squad of twenty-two players and made a number of positional switches which threw up some interesting possibilities for the future. Reece Hamilton had a great game in the centre, making a number of decisive line breaks, scoring a try and putting in one tackle which left a Larne player wishing he hadn’t tried to run back through the Carrick mid-field. Neil Hastings again demonstrated what a fine finisher he is, scoring a hat trick of tries. Among the forwards, Richard Higgins was everywhere, putting in tackles and making a lot of ground with ball in hand as well as finding his jumper at the line-out in difficult throwing conditions. Nathan Greenwood also had a strong game at No 8 and David Ferris impressed when he came on as a substitute in the second half. Curtis Rea and Chris Ferris were prominent as usual, at least until Chris had to go off with a horrenous – his word – cut to the head! Johnny Sheriff and Aaron McKinney, who moved to scrum-half when Kenny Topping had to go off after twenty-five minutes, kicked well out of hand, especially in the second half, to make sure Carrick played virtually all of the half in Larne territory.
Playing into a strong breeze, the visitors did well to keep Larne scoreless until the twentieth minute when the home side took the lead with a penalty. Carrick drew level ten miutes later with a fine Johnny Sheriff strike into the wind when Larne were penalised for off-side. Then, on the stroke of half-time, Carrick took the lead when an excellent box kick was well followed up and Neil Hastings gathered to beat the defence and go in at the corner. The try was not converted but Carrick went into the break with an 8 points to 3 lead.
Larne started the second half promisingly, winning a penalty at a scrum in the second minute and putting over the kick to narrow the deficit to 2 points. However, the visitors hit back immediately, an incisive break by Brian Alexander giving Neil Hastings space on the right and the winger beat two defenders to go in at the corner. Again, in the difficult kicking conditions, the try was not converted. Carrick were by now clearly on top, using the breeze at their backs much more effectively than their opponents had in the first half. After thirteen minutes of the half, Nathan Greenwood extended the Carrick lead when he went over in the right hand corner. This followed good work by backs and forwards, going through a number of phases, then an attack on the blind side in which Adam Gibney was prominent and which culminated in a neat off-load from David Ferris to Greenwood to allow the No 8 to get in at the corner. The try was not converted but the visitors exrtended their lead after twenty minutes when a series of drives by the forwards, with Richard Higgins prominent, set Carrick up for yet another attack on the right flank and this time a well-timed pass fronm Johnny Sheriff put Reece Hamilton in space and the centre broke a tackle to go over in the corner. The try was not converted but the visitors were now totally in control and leading by 23 points to 6. This lead was extended to 30 points to 6 two minutes later when a surging run by Nathan Greenwood set up a ruck from which quick ball allowed Reece Hamilton to put Neil Hastings in space and the winger went round the covering defence to run forty metres and score his third try. Johnny Sheriff added the conversion points. From this point the game became scrappier, and ill-tempered, but Carrick still held control until Larne conjured a try of their own with eight minutes remaining. Their scrum-half made a good break into the Carrick 22 and quick ruck ball enabled their winger to go over in the corner. The try was not converted and Carrick hit back a couple of minutes later when Johnny Sheriff picked up a loose Larne kick and scythed through their defence, neatly stepping the full-back, to score under the posts. The out-half then added the conversion points to bring the game to a close with Carrick decerved 37 points to 11 victors.
While this was an excellent performance by Carrick, there are much harder tasks ahead starting with Armagh in the Conference League at Tom Simms Memorial Park next Saturday.
On Boxing Day, there is the annual Charity Match with Carrick Warriors taking on a President’s XV at 12 noon at Tom Simms Memorial Park.
The Carrick squad against Larne was:-
A. McKinney, K.Jordan, J. Cullen, R. Hamilton, B. Alexander, J. Sheriff, K. Topping, E. Peacock, R. Higgins, A. Gibney, A. Kincaid(Capt), C. Ferris, N. Marsden, C. Rea, N. Greenwood, S. Davis, R. O’Callaghan, M. Smiley, C. Rodgers, D. Ferris, J. Mooney, N. Hastings.
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