1st XV have bonus point win 32-13 at Ards on sat 21st Sept
Ards played in the first half with the strong wind.
Paddy Bell had moved to hooker and the new frontrow strugglled early on and a number of scrums were lost against the head. But as the game went on the scrums got better and not only did we win our own we started to get on top of the Ards scrum.
From the beginning the line-out was an improvement on the Rainey game and was a source of good possession all day.
Both sides tried to run the ball and the Instonian side were slow to get into their patterns, several phases of good play came to an early end when balls went to ground.
Our new player Ryan Aperehama, utility back from New Zealand showed his ability with the ball in hand and started some good counter-attacks from full back into the wind.
With the elements Ards kept us in our own half and on several occassions it took Instonians scramble defence to keep them out.
The first score was to Ards, a poor Instonian clearing kick, followed by poor D led to an Ards attack finished of by a try from their no 5 Gareth McBurney and converted by their player of the day scrum half Mark Bamford (0-7).
Ards tails were up and the Instonians defence was tested. Some lucky scramble D and another Ryan counter attack kept them out.
The pressure was finally relieved when the improving Instonians scrum,in our own 22, forced Ards to conceed a penalty on their own put in. Well done Josh Cregan!! (weight watchers is working).
Yet another good run by Ryan took us into the Ards half were they conceeded a penalty at the breakdown. Gareth Lawlor did the needfull.(3-7).
Ards finished the half on top and it was Instonians turn to conceed a penalty and the Ards scrumhalf duely punished us.(3-10)
Haltime score (3-10)
Instonians now had the elements and immediately it showed, from the restart the Ards winger knocked back the kick over his own line and Instonians were awarded the 5 metre scrum. However due to poor accuracy at the back of the scrum the chance was missed.
At this stage although we had the elments we lacked composure, knock ons, kicks out on the full and kicks charged down.
Andrew Mairs started to show his ball carrying skills and Peter Stewart started to pull the pack together.
From a good kick, Ards conceeded a lineout in their 22. A superb lineout, maul allowed Peter Stewart to dive over at the back but unfortunately the ref was unsighted.
But soon after following more pressure scrumhalf Matthew keane dived over the line, conversion missed (8-10).
Instonians tails were up, from another scrum in the Ards 22, great pick up and pass by Andy McKeen to Matt Kilpatrick on the blindside to dive over,conversion missed. (13-10).
If you thought Ards would crumble wrong!! They attacked from the restart and under pressure Paddy Marks was penalised and yellow carded at the breakdown. Mark Bamford leveled the scores (13-13).
Ards then did hit the “self-destruct button”, whilst attacking in the Instonians half a sloopy pass went to ground and pounced on by the speedy Instonians players – Andy McKeen to Matthew McClelland who intellegently (yes intellegently for him) timed the pass well to Matt Kilpatrick who scored under the posts. Conversion slotted by gareth Lawlor. (20-13)
The flood gates opened, an atack from inside our own half left scrumhalf Matthew Keane to outstrip the defence out wide and score the bonus try. Gareth Lawlor was practicing “hitting the posts day!!” Conversion missed. (25-13)
The final score was from a tounover of an Ards attack, good hands led to Robbie Kirk scoring were even Gareth Lawlor could not hit the posts. Conversion made. (32-13)
Final score (32-13)
A thanks to the ref for the way he controlled the match.
Also a thanks to the Ards team for the spirit in which the game was played. hard but fair.
There is a long history between the two clubs and we hope that when we meet again for both sides sixth game in the All Ireland League that it is a mid table battle.
See you again on Friday 29th November at Shawsbridge at 7.30
For photographs of match fo to:
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