LATE SURGE BY DEE FALLS JUST SHORT
Donaghadee travelled to Shaws Bridge on Saturday knowing they had a difficult task on their hands against a fast improving Cooke side in this Kukri Qualifying One game. Injuries and unavailablilities had deprived the Dee of four members of their usual starting pack and they then lost another that morning due to family illness. CLICK HERE for shots!!!!!!!!!!
The Dee started brightly but on the five minute mark the Cooke pack broke through to eventually feed right winger Gourlay who scored in the corner and then converted himself to give the Shaws Bridge men a 7-0 lead. Play continued in broken manner until the 14th minute when the Cooke pack again turned over ball in the midfield and Gourlay carved his way through some weak Dee tackling to score under the posts – this time missing the simple conversion to restrict the score to 12-0. In the 22nd minute Donaghadee struck back after at last gaining some continuity in their play moving the opposition back and forth across the pitch before a quick tap penalty from skipper Alastair Lockhart led to a strong drive from loose head prop Ally Barnes who carried half the Cooke pack over the line with him to touch down. Nigel Barker followed this up by adding the extras from a difficult touchline conversion. A couple of minutes later however the Dee infringed on their own ten metre line by killing ball and Gourlay took the score to 15-7 with a well struck penalty. After 36 minutes exceptionally poor defence from the Dee forwards originating from a Cooke attacking lineout just outside the twenty two led to the Cooke openside Boyd scoring virtually unopposed. Gourlay converted to leave the score 22-7. A difficult penalty attempt was missed by Barker just on the stroke of half time before the Dee continued to press the Cooke line – unfortunately a loose pass failed to go to hand and Cooke left winger Mitchell picked up to run virtually the length of the pitch to again score under the posts, Gourlay adding the extras, to leave the half time score 29-7 in favour of Cooke and a try scoring bonus point already won.
The Dee started the second half in a much more workmanlike manner with Lockhart causing Cooke great difficulty around the fringes ably supported by the driving play of David Murray and Barnes. In the 48th minute a Dee attacking lineout continued through the phases until outhalf Paul Blewitt spotted player/ coach Paul McKenzie on the far touchline and punted expertly to him before the elusive centre broke two tackles to score in the corner. The conversion was missed… 29-12. The Dee were now bringing their influence to bear on the game working their way through the phases emplying some impressive continuity with Billy Allen, Max Montgomery and Mark Cooper to the fore all orchestrated by the irrepressible Lockhart. The Dee refreshed the pack with second row Morgan Ellis leaving the field to be replaced by Phil Collins. On the 56 minute mark Lockhart attacked through broken play before feeding McKenzie who eluded a couple of tackles putting Mark Cooper in with a well timed pass in the same right hand corner. Unfortunately McKenzie had to leave the fray soon after this point with an ankle injury to be replaced by Kyle Morrow with Rory Garnham moving into the centre and Murray leaving the pack to take his place on the right wing. Continuing Dee pressure led to a penalty on the Cooke twenty two and Barker brought the score to 29-20 with a well taken kick. The seemingly impossible was now becoming a possibility and the Dee defended manfully with Stephen Adams, Garnham and Allen to the fore – this after the Dee having lost Blewitt to a yellow card – before moving down the pitch once again after a succession of tap penalties from Lockhart took the play down to the Cooke twenty two . Blewitt returned to the field and the Dee now turned their efforts to the scrum where Stuart Hennessey, Stuart Thompson and Barnes had gradually started to put their opponents under significant pressure. Cooke bored in and collapsed a couple of scrums before repeating the offence a third time leaving the referee with no option but to award the penalty try, Barker converting, leaving the score 29-27. The final comeback was not to be however with the referee blowing no side and the Dee having to be content with two bonus points.
The Dee will undoubtedly reflect on this game as three points lost – a very gutsy display in the second half just falling short of putting right an exceptionally disappointing first half performance. Those players who came in to the side will no doubt gain from this experience – the main lesson to be learned being that concentration is required from the outset in any Qualifying One game otherwise you are left with much too much to do.
Standout performances from Lockhart, Murray, Montgomery and Allen but special mention for Barnes who in only his second game after a lengthy enforced absence showed just how effective he can be in both tight and loose.
THIS WEEK
Donaghadee welcome CIYMS back to Donaldson Park for another tight Q1 game this weekend. The Dee have slipped down the table of late and will be looking to get their season back on track against a CI side who suffered a surprisingly heavy defeat against Portadown at Belmont last Saturday and will themselves be hoping for an improvement. Meanwhile the Dee 3rd XV travel to Roughfort to play their Academy counterparts in a Minor League game. Both games kick off at 2:30pm and all support would be greatly appreciated.
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