After the recent excitement of cup fever at Donaldson Park Donaghadee travelled to Kilraghts Road on Saturday knowing that only a win would guarantee them staying on top of the Qualifying One league table on Saturday evening. After a narrow win at home to Ballymoney earlier in the season, this encounter was going to be one of the toughest tests the in form Dee team would face this year.
Ballymoney started the game at a fierce rate and scored from the first play of the game capitalising on a poor Donaghadee collection at kick off. The difficult conversion was inch perfect to give the home side a 7-0 advantage.
Ballymoney went on to dominate the early stages of the game with some clever kicking out of hand giving them territory advantage. Only a disciplined Donaghadee defensive effort kept Ballymoney from adding to their early points.
After Ballymoney’s pulsating start it took 20 minutes for Donaghadee to establish control of the game and put a number of phases of play together. The visitors enjoyed the better of the closing stages of the first half and got reward for their effort courtesy of an Alastair Lockhart try after good work in the loose from Richard Miller and Kalave Aualiitia. Ricardo Santos converted with the last play of the first half to draw the side levels.
Half-time Ballymoney 7 –Donaghadee 7
The second half was very much a battle of two strong forward packs with few opportunities for the backs to secure clean ball, Gareth Gordon and Kenny McCombe performing well in open play.
Donaghadee went in front for the first time on the 60th minute via a Santos penalty after a dominant spell in the Ballymoney 22.
Both teams suffered from a sin binning each in the final quarter of the game, both during different periods but each team unable to fully capitalise on this advantage.
Ballymoney did level the scores during their period of advantage with a well taken penalty and Donaghadee had the majority of possession during the last ten minutes of the game but were unable to add any further scores.
Full-time Ballymoney 10 – Donaghadee 10
Scoops Man of the Match
An ever present in the squad since the start of the season this young man’s physical approach to the game made him well suited for this up front battle with Ballymoney. Kenny McCombe is having an excellent season and his hunger for the ball and ability to continually break the gain line from short range has been a real asset for Donaghadee.
Donaghadee Team vs. Ballymoney
Nigel Barker, Ricardo Santos, Bobby Harpur, Ian Martindale ,Billy Allen, Paul Blewitt, Alastair Lockhart (Andrew Faulkner), Paul Hamilton, Gareth Gordon, Chris Good, Kalave Aualiitia,David Thompson, Keith McIlwaine, Kenny McCombe, Richard Miller.
Subs not used – Ryan Willis
Fixtures – Saturday 17th December – Donaghadee 1st XV travel to CIYMS in league action
Junior Cup Final – It has been confirmed that the Junior Cup final at Ravenhill between Donaghadee and Coleraine will kick off at 2pm on Wednesday 28th December.
Coaches will operate from the club and local establishments. Please refer to the club website for more details.
