Saturday saw the visit of Lisburn to Belmont. The 2nd XV have produced a run of good results recently and were unbeaten in their last four league games.
However, with a number of injuries in the senior squad, there was a slightly unfamiliar feel to both the forwards and the back line. This game was also punctuated with the last game for Ollie and Brett who are returning to the Southern Hemisphere next week, after a year working at Campbell College.
Having not started well in the last couple of games, the first 10 minutes of this encounter was always going to be important. The team talked about it before the game and thankfully the they started well with foraging runs from Stuart Hackney, who was excellent all day, Matt Mawhinney and Brett Lennox into Lisburn’s 22. It was not long before we had the first score on the board. Stuart Hackney went over from 15 yards out after a solid scrum with a pick and go. Andy Hassard missed the conversion.
It was Hassard that provided the next score. Lisburn went through a series of phases through their impressive back row, but lost the ball with great work from Ricky Maunder in the turnover. Ollie went blind, fed Hassard who glided through the gap and set off for the corner. The pass to Omar on the wing was miss-timed and CIYMS were back into the Lisnburn 22. Lisburn infringed at the scrum, and with the penalty awarded, the quick thinking Hassard tapped and dived over for a score before Lisburn knew what had happened. Hassard added the extras.
The senior players also talked about taking points when they were on offer and build a score whenever play took them to the opposition 22. This game plan led to a penalty being converted by Hassard after Lisburn were caught offside.
15 – 0 after 28 minutes.
At the half hour mark, Lisburn rallied and went looking for something before the half time whistle. A break by the no.7 through the middle was well tackled by Hassard at full back but the ball was recycled and after some good rallied defence, the scrum half used a penalty advantage to pop over a drop goal for the ruck. It was an opportune ‘shot to nothing’, which was not out of the coaching manual
Straight from the re start, CIYMS were awarded another penalty for an infringement and Hassard again added the points from centre of the pitch, just outside the 22.
18 – 3 after 36 minutes.
CIYMS went to sleep from the kick off when the high ball was tapped back, missed by the covering player, only for the Lisburn number 7 to collect, recycle and move the ball wide to a waiting player to dive over for a score right on half time. The conversion was missed
Half Time: 18 – 8
The half time team talk was all about composure and execution with the backs feeling that they could really cut loose if given the right platform.
And so it proved, as 10 minutes into the second half came the try of the match.
CIYMS were awarded a scrum on the 10 metre line and with our dominance in the scrum now beginning to tell, a strong pick and go from Hackney broke the gain line. Quick ball from Ollie to Stephen Foster missed out to Gareth O’Neill who stepped in for Phil McVitty to collect, draw the man and put Omar away over the line and round under the posts -Executed with skill. Hassard added the conversion.
25 – 8
From the kick off, CIYMS took possession cleanly and were dominant up front and special mention must go to the front row of Tom Stevenson, Ross Taylor and Ian McWilliams who totally overwhelmed their opposing front row. Testament to this was the massive 6 scrums won against the head in the second half alone. It was from a strike against the head that the ball went through the hands of the backs, releasing Omar on the wing. A strong run led to him being held up in the 22, where an excellent off load to the supporting McVitty put him over for the first of his two tries. Hassard failed to add the extras.
30 – 8
By this time, CIYMS were rampant. Wave after wave of attack came from the rejuvenated Hackney, the excellent physicality of Ricky maunder and the drive and determination of Tom Stevenson. It was one of these runs that set up Ricky Kirkwood for the first of his two tries after another excellent run from Andy Hassard. It was Kirkwood who was on hand to provide the killer finish. Hassard added the conversion.
With 10 minutes left Kirkwood scored again from another hard break from Stuart Hackney with excellent off loading from Lennox and Hugill.
The last try was added by McVitty who collected the ball at an early maul from Kirkwood, and once confirmation had been received that ‘yep I have it’, he run uncontested under the posts. Hassard added the extras.
With 5 minutes left and will fatigue setting in, Lisburn scored a good try from an interception, but with the last play of the game not far away, the result stood 49 – 13.
The 2nd XV are getting stronger every week with an excellent high tempo, physical game. We now have a break for the Crawford Cup and are not back in League action until 29th December. On this performance, there is no reason why the team cannot challenge for the title in 2013.
