DONAGHADEE 1ST XV 24 OMAGH 1ST XV 16
A trip to the much improved Omagh 1st XV at Mellon Park on Saturday 9th April 2011
was always going to be a tricky fixture for Donaghadee Firsts. After Tuesday night’s high scoring defeat to CIYMS the Dee side needed the maximum five points to maintain their challenge for promotion, what with Ballyclare securing five points in their home defeat of Grosvenor on Friday night.
Before the Saturday game both teams, along with officials and spectators, observed one minute’s silence in memory of Constable Ronan Kerr who had tragically lost his life in a terrorist bombing in Omagh the previous Saturday. Omagh then kicked off with the wind advantage, only for the Dee forwards to take play up to the Omagh twenty two. A deft kick and favourable bounce allowed wing forward Chris Hamilton to score the Dee’s first try, although Andrew Monson was unable to add the conversion.
The Dee side continued to dominate the play with the stout Omagh defence keeping them at bay. Donaghadee’s out half Paul Blewitt was kicking astutely to the corners and the second Dee try followed from one of these through back row forwards Hamilton and Craig McCoy taking play to the Omagh line. Captain Chris Good then picked up and fed scrum half Alastair Lockhart who darted through the gap to score a try with Monson adding the points to increase the Dee lead to 12-0 after twenty minutes.
In Omagh’s first attack, a catch and drive from a five metre lineout almost produced a score only for the Dee defence to keep them out and then with Lockhart again breaking the Omagh cover to take play to their ten metre line. When the defenders conceded a penalty Blewitt again kicked into the Omagh twenty two. Yet again Lockhart was first to react at the lineout, breaking through the Omagh cover from twenty metres to score a fine try for Monson to again add the points and increasing the lead to 19-0. The Donaghadee side were now varying their game; Richard Millar, playing in the unaccustomed position of left winger, continued to pose problems for the Omagh defence with his direct running. As half time approached Millar almost stole in for the bonus point fourth try from his ten metre line only to be stopped just short of the Omagh line. The referee’s whistle for half time left the Dee side comfortably 19 -0 in front.
The second half started with a surprise as the Omagh team began dominating the play. Within eight minutes they had reduced the deficit to 19 -7 with a well worked try by their centre-threequarter followed by their second row Stefan Hamilton adding the points. By now Donaghadee’s out half Paul Blewitt was struggling a bit with an ankle injury, forcing Andy Monson to move into out half with Blewitt switching to full back. Omagh continued to pile on the pressure with Stefan Hamilton converting three penalties to narrow the Dee lead to 19 -16.
It became obvious that the referee’s patience was running out at the offences at the break down, and it was Dee wing forward Craig McCoy who was sent to the sin bin. To add to the Dee’s difficulties scrum half Alastair Lockhart was now struggling with the reoccurrence of a leg injury. With no replacements allowed in the Qualifying two leagues, Blewitt and Lockhart were left with no alternative but to carry on playing. Despite the numerical difficulties and fatigue setting in from their mid week match the Dee players dug deep.
Lockhart was denied a try by a foot in touch short of the Omagh line, but McCoy’s return saw the Dee side mount a final effort that led to a penalty. Harper’s kick to the corner allowed them to secure possession at the lineout for veteran second row forward Davy Thompson to see a big gap at the front of the lineout. The big man quietly strode through for Donaghadee’s vital fourth try. Now with the Donaghadee lead increased to 24 – 16 they felt more secure because the Omagh team would now require two scores to overturn the Dee lead. With minutes remaining the Dee defence clung on against the determined Omagh side for a richly deserved win.
From numbers 1 to 15 the Dee players gave everything, particularly in defence where the back row of Stuart Hutchison, Craig McCoy and Chris Hamilton were particularly prominent. Scrum half Alastair Lockhart once again demonstrated his talents with two fine opportunist tries. The two players who epitomised the Dee’s will to win this match, particularly with their massive defensive effort, were the two centres Bobby Harper and his partner Billy Allen. Well done guys.
Donaghadee team 1. Chris Good (Capt), 2. Gareth Gordon, 3. Phil Collins, 4. Richard Martindale, 5. Davy Thompson, 6. Craig McCoy, 7. Chris Hamilton, 8. Stuart Hutchison, 9. Alastair Lockhart, 10. Paul Blewitt, 11. Richard Millar, 12. Bobby Harper, 13. Billy Allen, 14. Chris Woods, 15. Andrew Monson.
With CIYMS now in pole position to win Qualifying Two the race is now on between Donaghadee and Ballyclare to secure that all important runners-up place that will guarantee promotion to Qualifying One next season. The current League positions are as follows:
CIYMS – played 15 games, total 65 points
Ballyclare – played 16 games, total 56 points
Donaghadee- played 15 games, total 56 points.
Remaining fixtures for CIYMS: Enniskillen (H), Donaghadee (H),Ballyclare (A).
Ballyclare: CIYMS (H) and Donaghadee (H)
Donaghadee: Lisburn (H) ( Wed 13th April k.o. 7.30pm),
Ballyclare (A) ??
Donaghadee Rugby’s 125th Celebration Day
This is an exceptionally busy time for Donaghadee’s players, coaches, officials and supporters with potentially league-deciding fixtures for the First XV on Saturdays and in mid-week. Of course if Donaghadee can win all or most of these remaining games the prospect of promotion is very real, and all sports players and teams are in their sport to compete.
At the beginning of this 2010-2011 season the emphasis was on planned celebrations of the club’s 125 years in Ulster and Irish rugby football. But as early season success followed on from the glory days of the previous season it became more and more obvious that, like a rugby football pitch, the current season must have two goals. What was somewhat unanticipated was the pressure that these twin goals would create. Gradually it became apparent that there was the danger of too many things competing for peoples’ attention.
Currently Chris Good’s First XV, with the necessary drive from Club Coach Jimmy McCoy and Assistant Coach Andy Monson, are concentrating upon the league’s remaining fixtures, and of course all the club’s many supporters are paying close attention too. On Wednesday this week (13 April) the First play Lisburn in a vital game and next week they will have to fit in two crucial games against present League leaders CIYMS and the other serious contenders from Ballyclare. But this Saturday has been earmarked for a celebration game against a select XV for months. As explained here previously, the great achievements in rugby football this season throughout Ulster and Ireland have put all teams and players under competing pressures. But on Saturday 16 April an Invitation XV will be playing at Donaldson Park against the ever-improving Donaghadee First XV. Thanks to the Irish Rugby Union’s Charitable Trust stalwart Mick Quinn, whom many will remember from his glory days in an Irish shirt, the core of the visitors’ team will be the members of the highly successful Lansdowne Club in Dublin, fresh from their own promotion season. They will also be supported by a number of well-known ex-Ireland and ex-Ulster players who will be making guest appearances, and naturally all profits made at the game will go into the coffers of the Trust to help with their good work.
The game itself should be highly entertaining and the camaraderie rewarding, but perhaps for many the evening’s affair will be just as exciting and enjoyable. Up to 300 people will be fed, watered and entertained by the club with the expert attentions of Posh Nosh. A number of celebrity guests and some invited speakers such as Mick Quinn, Noel McClarnon and Colin Barkley will join all those present in amusing those present, honouring the club of today and lauding the heroes of past years who first offered young men the facilities and opportunities to play the wonderful game of rugby and those who kept it going through sometimes difficult years for 125 years. Just to put this achievement in perspective, that first actual game, against the similarly newly-formed Bangor RFC, was played before the motor car was invented and when most of the club’s members were not even born!
Important Annual Events
Don’t forget Thursday 12th May. This is the club’s AGM, (all nominations for Council posts and team captains should now have been submitted). To round off what has so far been an exceptional season there will be the Annual Club Dinner on Friday 20th May.
