Nutty Krust Quarter Final 4 1st April 2015
Omagh v Ballynahinch match report:
Conditions at Chambers Park for the last quarter final in this season’s Nutty Krust tournament were very wet both overhead and underfoot.
Omagh made a bright start gaining early territory and getting momentum from a well executed catch and drive from a line out. Several phases and good use of the width of the pitch saw them produce an overlap which failed to provide the opening score as an ambitious “ out the back door” pass went forward.
Hinch tried to clear their lines from the scrum but a missed touch was well fielded by Omagh full back Patrick O’Neill who put up a huge Garryowen. The unfortunate defender got both a slippy ball and pressure from the chasers causing him to spill the ball 10m from the try line. Several pick and goes by the Omagh pack led to the opening try by hooker Mark Hopton-Brown. The conversion from wide out was missed.
In the next 10mins the game was a bit disjointed with several penalties at the break down. Omagh half backs Stuart Ballentine and Stewart Robinson were beginning to edge the kicking battle giving Omagh more of the territory.
On 13 mins a fine break by Hinch centre Jamie Aiken just inside the opposition half saw him get to within 10m of the line. Desperate defending at the resulting maul saw the award of an “in the side” penalty in front of the posts. Hinch full back Joseph Bingham converted the 3 points.
The error count and turn overs kept play in the middle third as neither side could take control. Eventually Hinch found a touch in the Omagh 22 and then managed to steal the resulting lineout. The Hinch backs impressively moved the greasy ball the width of the pitch for left wing Richard Robinson to score in the corner. The difficult conversion was narrowly missed by Joseph Bingham but Hinch had gained a narrow 8-5 lead.
On the half hour mark, after several minutes of pressure in Hinch’s final third, Patrick O’Neill knocked over a penalty to tie the game up at 8 apiece.
Omagh’s indiscipline gave away several penalties in the remainder of the half which allowed Hinch to keep them pegged back and under pressure. However no scores resulted in half time being reached all square.
The second half began with another error strewn period before Omagh used their pick and drive game to build pressure in the opposition 22. Despite conceding a few penalties Hinch defence was resolute.
On the 20min mark , Omagh nudged a breakdown penalty into touch inside the 22. A great take by second row Samuel Hamilton began a driving maul which finished with hooker Hopton-Brown getting his second touchdown of the night.
Patrick O’Neill kicked a superb conversion from wide out on the left.
Omagh had begun to take charge and props Aaron Hetherington and Michael Mc Colgan were helping get an edge at scrum time.
A long range penalty from the Omagh full back was just wide which might have finished things off had it been on target.
Ballynahinch sides do not give up and the introduction of lively winger Leo Cassidy combined with a desire to move the ball about despite the conditions, saw Hinch regain the initiative in the remaining 10minutes.
One great bit of play from their backs put winger Robinson away only for him to be halted in the 22 by what the ref deemed a high tackle (the defender was sent to the bin for the offence).
In a final flourish of ambitious back play, Hinch centre Aiken made good ground before feeding full back Bingham who scored half way out to the right of the posts. He then struck a fine conversion to his own try to tie the game at 15-15.
Despite the obvious excitement of the Hinch players, the ref blew the final whistle to cheers from those Omagh players and officials who realised that they would go through as they had scored the first try of the game.
Both sides deserve great credit for trying to play rugby and serving up an exciting encounter in atrocious conditions.
Man of the match was awarded to Omagh scrum half Stewart Robinson who passed and kicked accurately and managed the game well. Ian Wray ( PRFC senior vice president ) presented him with his commemoration ball.
