Images:It took three defenders to stop Johnny Steenson!
Richard Reaney makes a break, Mark Riddell scores, The determination of the Armagh pack showed!
Saturday saw Armagh travel south to Naas to play their final fixture In the Ulster Bank All-Ireland League. The recent resurgent from shown by the whole team had seen them secure the sixth slot in the 2B section of the league. To have achieved this position has to be considered more than creditable after their promotion into senior rugby.
The conditions were ideal for open rugby with a stiffish, but biting, breeze at the visiting team’s back at the kick-off. The Naas pack was noticeably heavier than the visiting forwards yet in the early rucks they showed a fair degree of mobility about the pitch. Armagh, on the other hand, started the game with their customary open style with their forwards and backs interlinking which was seen to threaten the home defence straight from the start of the game. After only seven minutes play, however, Armagh were penalized for failing to release a Naas forward after a tackle just outside their ‘22’. The kick went wide of the posts but from the clearance, Armagh immediately launched an attack, which resulted in the first scrum of the game. The young Armagh front row demonstrated a great technique and the forwards more than illustrated that they intended to dominate the set pieces. From this scrum Armagh launched an attack which involved both forwards and backs with full back, Johnny Steenson, breaking the defence and feeding the ball to Neill Faloon who forced his way over the Naas line five metres in from the left corner. Johnny Steenson then converted to put the score at 0-7. After seventeen minutes play the referee sent Armagh flanker, Mark Riddell, to the sin-bin for failing to release a Naas player after a tackle. The resultant numerical advantage enabled Nass to get the upper hand in open play and they were able to launch a rolling maul which resulted in their Hooker scoring a try near Armagh’s left corner. The conversion went wide and just before the break Naas were caught off-side and Armagh’s full back, Steenson, kicked a fine penalty from 5 metres inside his own half to bring the half time score to 5-10 score at the break. This, however, looked ominous as the breeze, by this stage, had freshened and would doubtlessly be used to the home team’s advantage after the turn round.
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Armagh, however, had different ideas and the half-time team talk from Coach, Andrew Hughes, appeared to inspire them to engage a higher gear. After ten minutes, the visiting open side flanker, Mark Riddell broke a tackle just inside the Naas half and evaded four defenders to touch down in the left corner. The conversion went wide but the 5-15 scoreline illustrated that Armagh were beginning to put their mark on the game. Five minutes later saw Armagh’s No. 8, Neill Faloon, break from the base of a ruck and after twenty metres pass the ball to left winger, Matthew Irwin who rounded his opposite number then kick ahead. The kick was a little too strong and drifted over the dead ball line to deprive Matty of one of his textbook tries! By this stage of the game the home side were tiring and were deprived of a try when they were turned over just short of the Armagh line five minutes from the final whistle. The game ended with Armagh depriving the home team of a losing bonus point. The four league points earned by the win kept Armagh in the sixth league spot which was fair reward for a sound, strong performance.
What a club Armagh is. What a season across the I XV teams asolutely amazing!
