The Maxol-sponsored Carrick 1st XV travelled to Letterkenny on Saturday 10 September and came away with an 18 points to 14 victory to take them to the top of the League table.
At Tom Simms Memorial Park, the 2nd XV survived a last quarter fight-back by Ballyclare II to win by 25 points to 19. Carrick, with a solid scrum and reliable line-out, dominated for most of the match but took the foot off the pedal in the last quarter to let the visitors back into the match. The Carrick pack performed well in loose and tight, with the impressive Nathan Greenwood, Owen Lecky and Captain, Andy Kincaid, prominent. The half backs- Michael Patterson and J J Loughridge- controlled the game well with out-half Loughridge particularly impressive. His kicking out of hand was excellent and enabled Carrick to control territory for long periods.
With a strong breeze blowing across the pitch both sides found ball control difficult in the first quarter and it was 15 minutes into the game before Carrick put the first points on the board from a Loughridge penalty. Ten minutes later, Ballyclare took the lead when they went over from a tap penalty. The try was converted. Carrick hit back five minutes later when they turned over Ballyclare ball in their own 22 and No 8 Nathan Greenwood ran 75 mtres to score under the posts. JJ Loughridge added the conversion points. The home side went further ahead on thirty-five minutes when Greenwood ran an excellent line to go over again, this time following a Carrick scrum 10 metres from the Ballyclare line. The try was not converted so Carrick went into the half-time break leading by 15 points to 7.
Carrick were in virtually complete control during the third quarter and extended their lead 10 minutes into the second half when they ran a penalty close to the visitors’ line and Andy Kincaid got the touch-down. Loughridge put over the conversion from a difficult angle. Carrick continued to dominate territory and possession but, with fifteen minutes to go, and against the run of play, some poor tackling allowed Ballyclare to breach their defence and run in a try from half-way. This was converted to make the score 22 points to 14 in Carrick’s favour. Shortly afterwards, any Carrick nerves were calmed when JJ Loughridge put over another penalty. However, the vistors did not give up and, with five minutes to go, ran in another try in the corner after re-cycling the ball through several phases. This try was not converted and Carrick held out to win by 25 points to 19.
This was a solid performance from Carrick for most of the match and gets their League programme back on track after the narrow away defeat in Portadown the previous week.
The Carrick team was:
A. Armstrong; B. Alexander, M. Anderson, G. Clarke, K. Quinn; JJ Loughridge, M Patterson; A. Moore, G. Baxter, A. Gibney, O. Lecky, A. Kincaid(Capt), C. Patterson, R. Crymble, N. Greenwood.
On Saturday 17 September,the 1st XV are away to Ballyclare while the 2nd XV travel to Ballymoney.
