Team Opponent Result H/A
Under 17 B’Hinch 29-0 Home
Under 15 B’Hinch 41-29 Home
Under 13 B’Hinch 7-34 Home
Hinch U13s too strong for Carrick!
Carrick u13s welcomed Ballynahinch to the Tomm Simms Memorial Park on a bright Saturday morning were conditions were near perfect. On the back of a great win over Malone the week before, a cracker match was in store!
Carrick kicked off and immediately, Ballynahinch caught the Carrick players napping a scored under the posts. Try was converted. From then, Ballynahinch took control for 15 minutes of the first and scored a further 3 tries to give them a 22-0 lead. A few words of wisdom from the Carrick coaches, Carrick began to play their style of rugby, with creating chances and finding gaps in Ballynahinch defence. However, they were halted and the half-time whistle blew to give Ballynahinch a 22-0 lead.
Half-Time: Carrick 0-22 Ballynahinch
Ballynahinch re-started the game, and Carrick picked up were they left off, with hard, aggressive runs from Cameron Newell, Captain Kyle Bell and Cameron MacClean trying to force their way through the oppositions’ defence. With 5 minutes gone, Carrick forwards done brilliantly to win a line-out on the Hinch 10metre line, a slick hands out the backs found Jack Cooper, who evaded 3 tackles, fended off 2 players to touch down for a score. Try was converted by Ciaran Wilson. A comeback was on the cards when Carrick took command for a further 5 mins, but could not find the line. Ballynahinch started to up their aggression levels, and with Carrick getting abit tired, Ballynahinch scored a further 12 points. With the final whistle approaching, Carrick, again, dominated the territory and were camped inside the Hinch 22 for the last few minutes of the game. With the will and determination, the young Carrick side were very much determined to get the last word of the game, with Rhys Willis just being held up. From the resulting scrum, Carrick lost the scrum and Hinch cleared their lines into touch to leave the final score Carrick 7-34 Ballynahinch
Final Score: Carrick 7-34 Ballynahinch
Carrick’s Coaches were pleased with the young Carrick side, with their grit, determination and aggression in the fight-back in the second half, and must take the positives to improve their game and take it into next week, when they make the long journey to Letterkenny!!
Carrick Squad:
C.MacClean, N.McErlean, R.Malcomson, C.Aitken, R.Willis ,C.Newell, John, K.Bell, AJ Hussell, C.Kane, N.Brennan, A.Ogilby, M.Jenkins, R.Lyttle, J.Cooper, C.Wilson, D.Curley, G.McCrum, T.Alexander, E.Corry, D.Keenan
At U15s level, Carrick fielded a squad of 28 players in their final friendly fixture before the Premiership league begins next week. Ballynahinch kindly agreed to play four sessions to allow the home side to rotate their large playing squad. Carrick started with a strong 15 and quickly raced into a 19-5 lead with scores from Jordan Robinson and two from 2nd Row “Dangerous Dan McBurney”. In the second period of play the home side brought on no fewer than 10 replacement players which allowed ‘Hinch to gain a greater foothold in the game. Indeed at the end of this period of play the away side had clawed the score back to 24-17 with the home side having scored through Curtis Hoban.
In the third period of play a strong home forward pack took control of the game with prop forward Jordan Robinson getting his second score of the day and captain Gareth Hartley also touching down. Matty Carson, playing a ten minute cameo role, also scored a fine individual breakaway try. Prop Jordan Robinson also demonstrated his fine footballing skills, knocking over a total of 3 conversions. This left the score at 41-17 going into the final passage of play. The Carrick coaches again rotated a large number of players who to their credit manned up gamefully to their much bigger opposition. ‘Hinch scored a further two tries leaving the final score 41-29 to the home side.
Man of the match for Carrick was returning prop forward Jordan Robinson. Some Powerful line breaks and soft hands from this ever improving player.
CRFC U17s -26 Ballynahinch U17s -0
It was a combination of stubborn Carrick defence allied to Hinch,s inability to seize their scoring opportunities that led to a home team shut out in an U17s friendly at Tom Simms Memorial park.
A truncated but highly focused home team warm up saw the NK Fencing sponsored CRFC U17s hit the ground running in a game which would prove to be an excellent warm up for the start of the league campaign next week.
Big carries & precise clearing out provided the Carrick half backs with a raft of go forward ball, a down field breeze also allowed position to be obtained thus keeping Hinch on the back foot.
Wallace revelling in the quickly recycled ball cut through for an early brace of tries which he converted himself.
Dean Henderson deputising at No 8 took advantage of a rock solid Carrick scrum to pick up & blast over intelligently stretching the last vital inches for the touchdown, Wallace again added the points.
Once again Carrick gained a foothold in the Hinch red zone and when their lineout was disrupted Corey Kelly bustled through the ruck of bewildered home defenders to touch down.
Several other chances to score went begging but these were from issues that can be readily addressed on the training paddock.
A half time pledge to keep Hinch from scoring & to focus on disrupting their lineout was carried out to perfection.
It was Carricks turn to home in on defensive duties & with the visitors accomplished 10 pegging the ball into Carricks red zone the home back three were not found wanting.
Time after time Hinch runners were cut down with captain on the day Jake Porter “Prince of Thieves” on hand to steal the ball turning defence to attack.
Hinch became slightly frustrated at times but rugby spirit prevailed in what was an intensively physical encounter.
This was a tremendous squad performance with players slotting in seamlessly for several perceived regulars, up front Jonny Mooney Jake Gardner & Matthew Best caught the eye whilst out back Jordan Atcheson Jamie McCracken & Sam Wallace were to the fore.
Jake Porter played a captains role & was this scribe’s man of the match.
Training wed night next 7pm sharp.
The main image in this story is from the 2011/12 U15s
