Kukri Qualifying League 2, Randalstown 1XV v Limavady 1XV
Neillsbrooke, Randalstown
Randalstown continued their impressive form with a hard fought battling win again Limavady at the the weekend. In a game with few chances, it as the home side that started the brighter, but couldn’t come away points when scrum half missed a penalty on 16 minutes.
Town continued to pressurise, this time scrum half John O’Kane took his opportunity, giving his team the early lead. Minutes later sloppy defensive work from Limavady led to a home try. Outhalf Michael Smith read Limavady’s Greg Jordan’s pass, intercepting and running in, O’Kane slotted over the easy conversion.
Limavady then sprung to life dominating the remainder of the half. The all blacks camped out inside their opponents 22, with forwards making hard yards and although prop Andy Carmichael crossed the whitewash, the referee decided that he hadn’t grounded the ball. Limavady fullback, Steven Kilburn kept Limavady in the game with a penalty just before the end of the half. HT 10-3
The visitors continued to dominate in the second half and got their reward when a break from Jordan let centre Chris Hunter in for his second try of the season. Kilburn wasn’t able to square things up, just missing his conversion to the left.
John O’Kane then stretched Randalstown’s lead once more after missing a simpler penalty converter the much harder attempt a few minutes later. The roesiders, needing a converted try to win, took the strange decision to go for goal, with just 7 minutes left on the clock. Kilburn converted, but it still left them needing another before full time.
Randalstown then seemingly put the game to bed with another conversion 3 minutes from full time, but the most dramatic part of the game was yet to happen. A bullish drive forward from the Limavady pack got them into the 22, when Michael Smith got sin binned. From the penalty there was enough time for a lineout, the forwards regained possession and drove even deeper into the homes sides 5 metre line. Good ball retention and piercing runs took Limavady closer to the line, when Randalstown were once more penalised, 2 metres out. Bizarrely referee decided that enough was enough and blew for full time, giving Randalstown a well earned victory.
Junior League Section 4 Limavady 2XV v Ballymoney 4XV
John Hunter Memorial Ground, Limavady
Limavady 2’s welcomed Ballymoney 4’s to the Demesne on Saturday in a vital league match and recorded a fine 32-0 victory to do their promotion prospects for the season no harm at all.
Playing with the breeze in the first half Limavady initially failed to use this effectively deciding to run the ball from deep while putting the ball in the air and chasing maybe would have been the more effective approach.
Realising this in the final quarter of the half and as a result of a good field kick from McNickle, Limavady regained possession and following a strong drive from the impressive Campbell, Magee picked up at the breakdown and raced in from 15 metres without a hand being laid on him to score under the posts. With Limavady increasing the tempo and starting to play an expansive game the visitors conceded 2 quick penalties which were punished by McNickle leaving the score 13-0. In the final 10 minutes of the half Limavady played their best rugby and from a line out on the 22 there followed a series of rucks quick ball drives from the Limavady pack and when the ball was released to the backs Logan cut a great line to cut threw the defence to score a well worked try and with McNickle converting this left the half time score 20-0.
Limavady continued to dominate the second half but as a result of giving away needless penalties were not able to add to the score until the final quarter.Stuart Roddy was the man to cross the line following great work from Faulkner and McCollum at the breakdown.
The game was closed out in the final 5 mins when Faulkner barged his way over the line for a score he deserved for his days work and McNickle converted to leave the final score 32-0 to the home team.
This result pushes Limavady up to near the top of their league and leaves them well placed going into the christmas break. This was a good team performance and there is no doubt that some of the individual performances will not have gone unnoticed by the club coaches.
