On Saturday, after a 2 week break from the their last match, Armagh Power NI travelled to Holywood to play a side that pushed them all the way in the reverse fixture earlier in the season. Armagh fielded their regular side with Robert Straghan and Dave Black coming into the pack for The injured Jude Parr and Stuart McMahon. Armagh started brightly with some good running from centres Matty Allen and Mark Laverty. From this pressure Stanley Hamilton Darted over for his first of the day out wide. Andrew Knipe missed the conversion.
From the restart Armagh kept the pressure on with Paul Cully and Richard Morton making some good ground up front in the pack. The ball was lost forward and the outstanding front row of Andrew Morton, James Knox and Richard Morton took the ball against the head. From the turnover Captain Chris Wallace picked from the base and fed Hamilton who made some good ground and the pack moved forward into the opposition 22. From there Knipe fed Mark Allen who went over under the posts. Knipe converted.
From the next kick off Armagh started as they left off and continued pushing Holywood physically up front. With Black and Straghan making good ground, Knipe fed Matty Allen who broke through and scored under the sticks. Knipe Converted. 19-0
It was now Holywoods turn to put some pressure on Armagh and after some soft tackling and complacency from the away side a soft try was conceded and the conversion missed. With some stern words the team picked themselves up again and went back down to the 22 with hard running from Laverty and Wallace. Once there Rory Hanna took a good angle off Knipe and went over close to the posts. Knipe converted, 26-5.
This seemed to get Armaghs tail up and with some big hits from Andy and Richard Morton the Travelling side turned the ball over and moved it wide with Jamie Monahan getting over for a try under the posts. Knipe converted, 33-5 half time.
Armagh changed sides now with the wind and rain in their faces making kicking the ball virtually impossible. Holywood kicked off and the ball was knocked forward, with the resulting scrum Wallace picked up and fed Allen who broke up the wing, drew the full back and fed Simon Beckett who went under the posts. Knipe converted. 40-5
Armagh again returned and with some great hands from the backline and some supporting play Mark Laverty stepped inside the defence and scored out wide. Knipe converted. 47-5
After this Hamilton got his second and Wallace made it a hat trick for the day with none of these converted. This was a good display but still lots to work on for the young side, especially with a hard cup game this Saturday against Ballymena.
