The result of this game belies the manner of the win, which in truth, was laboured. Portadown struggled through the first ten minutes as Bangor took the game to the home side who were gifting possession and territory far too easily. Dale Black and Johnny Edgar did set up a promising attack, their link up taking play to the visitors 22 but were penalised for crossing when in a try scoring position. Both sides were struggling for consistency and there was a lack of running rugby on show, a case of creativity stifled by the error count. On thirty minutes the Blues were buoyed by a period of pick and drive dominance and when Gareth Martin was stopped short Dermy O’Kane thought he had done enough to pick and drive for the line but instead was called back for accidental offside and it remained deadlocked. With three minutes left in the half, Portadown kicked to the corner, captain Philly Jackson executed the catch and drive for Dermy O’Kane to crash over on the blind side. 5-0 to the Blues after a scrappy first half.
The second half saw a noticeable improvement in overall play. After only a few minutes John McGuckin made a good break on half way, the ball worked it’s way through Holden, Martin and Edgar who scored under the posts for a 12-0 lead. Although Bangor did threaten, at 12-0 up Portadown were comfortable, if looking unlikely to add to their tally. But in the final fifteen minutes the Blues cut loose. A penalty on half way was tapped to Martin who used all his power to break the line before offloading to Dale Black for a score under the posts. 19-0. With three minutes left on the clock Dermy O’Kane won a turnover ball for Johnny Holden to make some good ground, at the end of which Paul Melville scored for a 24-0 lead and the unlikeliest of bonus points.. The Blues weren’t finished though and closed with a flourish. Philly Jackson won an opposition lineout, Martin again made yards in the centre before John McGuckin executed a delightful chip for second row Willie Graham to touch down. Final Score 31-0.
PORTADOWN 3XV 79 – 0 BANGOR 2XV
Portadown thirds gained a much needed win against a Bangor team that had beaten them earlier in the season. A solid Portadown defence weathered an early storm from the seasiders before Ashley Pepper opened the scoring after good work by the industrious Steven Vennard. This score opened the floodgates against a disappointing Bangor side and Aaron Morton, Steven Vennard, Colly Lawson and Mark Beggs all scored withAlan Robinson adding three conversions to leave it 31-0 at the break.
As if the Blues needed more of an advantage they played with the wind in the second half and completely blew their opponents away. Great tactical kicking by Robinson and Lawson coupled with a solid set-piece set the tone for the half. Aaron Morton completed a hat-trick before further tries by Steven Chapman, Garth Durrans, Keith Boyce and Brian Tedford rounded off a truly sparkling display by the home side. A much need win for the thirds against a Bangor team who are also struggling at the wrong end of the league table. Best players on the day were Colly Lawson, Keith Boyce and Brian Tedford.
STRABANE 2XV 14 – 10 PORTADOWN 5XV
Portadown went into this quarter-final fixture of the Butler Shield with every confidence of getting a result. A settled team with a great balance of youth and experience, the 5XV had been impressive in recent victories. Unfortunately the performance on the field in Strabane didn’t quite match those of previous victories and it wasn’t so much Strabne playing well, rather Portadown playing badly. The Blues were their own worst enemies at times, being turned over, knocking on and errors of judgement in promising positions. Both sides traded missed penalties before before Strabane opened the scoring. The Blues pride themselves on a tenacious defence and up until twenty minutes it had been operating effectively, but a five metre scrum gave the Strabane backs a platform to work off and their big centre exploited a hole to pirouette and score under the posts. 7-0 Strabane. Portadown did pressurise in search of a score but it was the Home side that could have stretched their lead, a two on one with the Portadown fullback should have been a try all day but inexplicably the pass went forward and the danger was averted. On the stroke of half time Andrew Matchett knocked over a penalty for the Blues to leave it 7-3 at the break.
The second half started much like the first, Portadown were defending from the off, and it was energy sapping stuff. Strabane laid siege to the Blues line – spending ten minutes inside the 22 – but they couldn’t get through a tight line as the Portadown work rate and tackling was superb. On a rare attack of their own, Portadown scored, Richard Matchett running a great line on the inside to go over unopposed. 10-7 Portadown. The Blues now had the lead and despite not playing their best were only fifteen minutes away from a cup semi-final. Strabane weren’t finished though and with only a few minutes left on the clock their second row crashed over for an agonising score to leave it 14-10.
A disappointing result for the 5XV, all the more so because this team is capable of playing so much better. With only a handful of league games left the season is nearly done and dusted.
