CRFC YOUTH SECTION WEEKLY RESULTS ROUNDUP.
Date : 12th January 2014
Carrick Youth impress again Banbridge.
Carrick Youth travelled to Rifle Park, Banbridge with the knowledge that only focused team performances would allow them to be competitive against what are traditionally one of the best club youth rugby sections in the whole on Ulster.
At Under 13s level Carrick were hoping to build on a comprehensive 27-5 victory from the previous week against Virginia RFC. Carrick started the game decisively with centre Cairan Wilson scoring the opening try which he himself converted. Returning from a long injury layoff, outhalf Ryan Lyttle was having an influential game linking well with both backs and forwards. Two further tries by wing forward Matthew Reith and another from Cairan Wilson put the visitors further ahead. With the Carrick forwards dominated the contact area a slick backline move allowed young Wilson to complete a first half hat trick. In the second half Carrick continued to play an expansive running brand of running with No: 8 Jack Cooper in particular being impressive around the park. He himself scored a fine individual try with centre Daniel Curly and Cairan Wilson further adding to Carrick’s tally of points. To their credit Banbridge never gave up and a fine breakout from their No: 8 resulted in a score for the home side.
Final score: Banbridge U13s 5 Carrick U13s 52.
At U15s level Carrick played out a hard fought 15-10 victory over Banbridge U15s. Having won the corresponding fixture comfortably earlier in the season at The Tom Simms Memorial Park, it was a very different home side that took the field against Carrick last Saturday. The Carrick packs were made to work very hard to retain their share of possession and the backs had limited opportunity to breach a determined home defensive line. Carrick eventually gained the upper hand in the first half with two scores from centre Conor Gascoigne. Neither try was converted. Banbridge were not prepared to throw in the towel and before the break responded with a try of their own. In the second period of play both side battled to gain ascendancy but it was the visitors who sealed the victory with a well taken score from the captain Gareth Hartley. Next week Carrick U15s travel to Gibson Pk, Belfast to take on Malone in a tough Ulster Carpets Cup fixture.
Final Score: Banbridge U15s 10 Carrick U15s 15
In a hard fought encounter at a sunny & firm underfoot Rifle Park Carrick U17s dogged out a victory against an improving home side.
With Bann fielding their strongest XV of the season this was always going to be a tense affair & although under the cosh for long periods Carrick like their hosts came close to scoring a couple of times in the opening 20 minutes.
Carricks defence was tested severely in the first half but stood firm with individuals taking responsibility to halt the hard running Bann backs.
Up front Carrick worked extremely hard at the breakdown & were rewarded with several turnovers with Bann infringing on the ground. The Carrick set piece also was a constant source of quality possession & the Bann lineout was also disrupted on their throw.
With the half drawing to a close an incursion by the forwards into the Bann 22 allowed Cambridge to feed Wallace going left for him to drift in unopposed on the outside.
Halftime 0-5 to Carrick.
The second half started with Bann hugely on the offensive & it was only a hard working scramble defence prevented them equalising.
A huge punt downfield into the Bann 22 saw a mistake in their defence which was pounced on with a quick throw and a series of deft interpassing which allowed a precise offload by Devenny to Stewart for the score. Wallace added the conversion.
With both teams now having made changes the game opened up even more with Bann moving the ball well but still stifled by a resolute Carrick defence.
The next phase of play was the most telling of the game as it took Carricks lead to 19 points after Wallace chipped the onrushing Bann defence collected his own kick & ran in under the posts for the seven pointer.
Bann with a mountain to climb knew they had to get something & crossed for a good try near to the posts.
With the conversion looking a formality a great charge down by Surgeoner denied them the bonus points.
Time was now running out for Bann and with 4 minutes on the clock they got their second try wide out, a failed conversion meant that they would have to score twice to win and the Carrick mongrels were not going to permit that. In the final stages of the game an Ian Kerr cameo performance saw him steal two Bann lineouts providing the possession that Carrick needed to play down the clock.
Banbridge U17s -10 Carrickfergus RFC U17s -19
