Magners Junior League
Dungannon should have been going to Dromore needing at least one point to win Section 5 of the Magners Junior League outright. Unfortunately due to a misunderstanding at Carrick on Tuesday night they needed the win to put themselves two points ahead of Grosvenor who still have a game to play. Against a very well balanced Dromore team they had to work very hard to earn the points but thanks to two tries from the excellent Jonathan Smith the points came back to Stevenson Park.
The game started with a plethora of penalties, six in the first five minutes. Eventually Dromore won one within kicking range and their out half put the ball between the uprights after five minutes.
3 – 0
Shortly after the restart Big Stephen Donaghy barged his way to the line but was penalised for an alledged double movement. On twelve minutes Dungannon won a turnover on halfway. Jonny Smith put the ball up to the Dromore line and following a lineout Gannon won possession and drove with the reliable JeremyBaird driving over for the try that put Dugannon into the lead..
3 – 5
Dungannon for the most part were in control for the first forty minutes that was played in the Dromore half. Scrum half Ricky Wright scragged his opposite number, forcing Dromore to concede a five metre scrum. Jeremy Baird broke blind and the ball went through the hands of Wright and Smith who found the speeding Peter Keightley taking a great line that sent him through at the posts. Cormac Convery converted on the half hour.
3 -12
Dungannon attacked from the restart but Dromore responded well and it took a twenty-two to twenty-two metre clearance from Cormac Convery to settle matters. Dungannon were reduced to fourteen when Ally Moore was binned for what was adjudged to be high tackle.
The second half was much like the first but it was Dromore who were first to trouble the scoreboard when their useful backs ran in a try on fifty-two minutes.
8 – 12
after seventy minutes a Dromore forward was binned for an unidentified offence. Two minutes later Jonny Smith, with a show and go off a scrum, ran in from the twenty-two to give Gannon some breathing space. Cormac Convery converted.
8 – 19
Dromore did not allow Dungannon to rest on their laurels and on seventy-six minutes the Dromore out half scored a self converted try to close the gap to four points reducing this to a one score game.
15 – 19
Fair play to the boys, under the urging of Gareth Lucas assisted by Steven Martin Dungannon rallied again and when in position Jonny Smith delivered the coup de grace with another step and shimmy that sent him through from outside the twenty-two. Cormac again converted.
15 – 26
Another good performace by Dungannon against a more than useful Dromore outfit. Julian Knipe was happy and relieved after the final whistle,“ We played well throughout against a very capable Dromore team. We relied on our experienced players and they did not disappoint. Today’s game also brings home to us all the need for a squad of players. Steven Graham and Marc Lawson, who have played only a handful of games between them this season, stepped in and fitted in to the team seamlessly.
We have to put the Carrickfergus experience behind us and now focus on the Forster Cup final at Ravenhill next Saturday.”
Anyone not at Stevenson Park is requested to be at Ravenhill for the game against Rainey, kick off 1.00 p.m.
Team: Cormac Convery. Kevin McElduff, Philip Hall, Steven Martin, Steven Graham. Jonathan Smith, Richard Wright. Ally Moore, Rodney Lucas, Stephen Donaghy. Gareth Lucas (Capt), Peter Keightley, Marc Lawson, Declan Treanor. Jeremy Baird.
Referee: Kevin Bartlett
Tries: Jeremy Baird, Peter Keightley & Jonathan Smith (2)
Conversions: Cormac Convery (3)
Penalties:
Drop Goal
