RANDALSTOWN 1st XV 16 LIMAVADY 1st XV 11
This was not rugby for the faint hearted or the prawn sandwich hamper brigade of the Twickenham car parks, but for the connoisseur, even drawing the odd approving grunt from visiting British Lion, Steve Smith. In eighty minutes of sustained ferocity and at times, brutality, Randalstown were never going to come second.
Having started the season magnificently in September, Randalstown suffered an inexplicable, collective psychiatric implosion at Lisburn. The hangover from this catharsis lasted throughout October, exacerbated by injuries and a constantly changing team, until they recovered their mojo against league leaders Enniskillen and followed that by thrashing Dungannon IIs last week. Back to near full strength and buoyed with the return of William Montgomery at number 13, they faced a Limavady side at full strength and enjoying a long unbeaten run which had started against Randalstown in the autumn sunshine of October. For both teams this game was massive!
After torrential rains the pitch was heavy and the war was always going to be waged up front. Randalstown had put in the hard hours on the scrum which had struggled at Limavady and in the set pieces there was near parity. Randalstown were, however, technically superior and better organised outside the set piece, the back row was ubiquitous, the half backs were masters of the conditions, the midfield defence was aggressive and impregnable and the back three were rock solid. When the pack plays at its magnificent best it is always invidious to pick out individuals but Limavady possessed a very skillful New Zealand outhalf, which always brings out the hunter in Alex Fleck, and in his last two games Gary Hume has driven and tackled with an uncompromising ferocity.
In the backs, mention must be made of the emergence of Michael Smith as a quality outhalf, who has now added a genuine physical dimension to his game. With the centre pairing of David Goodrich and William Montgomery the backline now looks superior to most in the division.
In the first half Randalstown had considerable territorial advantage against the slope and led at half time through an O’Kane penalty and a clever interception by Michael Smith, converted by O’Kane. Limavady replied with a penalty after a long period of pressure to make the score 10 – 3. Michael Smith appeared to have scored another try but it was disallowed when the referee was unsighted. Shortly into the second half, a Limavady interception led to an unconverted try and another O’Kane penalty made it 13 – 8. As the clock ticked down both sides dug deeper, even increasing the intensity and on one occasion, Alex Fleck’s groundspeed was too much for the referee and he awarded a penalty for an early start to make the score 13 – 11. O’Kane replied with another penalty and for an instant the game looked safe until Michael Smith in his new aggressive mode followed up his own kick deep into the Limavady half with a tackle that would have been magnificent if it had been half a minute earlier. The outcome left fourteen men defending a lineout on the Randalstown line and five cardiac minutes as Limavady frantically hurled themselves forward against the unyielding men in red and white, never more than two yards from the Randalstown line, but those two yards were the difference between the teams.
Lurgan 2nd XV 24 Randalstown 2nd XV 17
Randalstown 2nd XV suffered a disappointing defeat away to Lurgan in a game which finished in the gloom due to a lengthy stoppage following an injury to ‘Town flanker Ian Hume.
Having started strongly ‘Town took an early lead. Following the only contested scrum of the afternoon in the Lurgan 22 Harris and Loughlin drove straight at the Lurgan defence, forcing them into conceding a penalty which McWhirter stroked over.
Lurgan unfortunately lost a prop with a dislocated shoulder at this point and as a result the scrum went uncontested for the remainder of the game.
Despite being a man down the home side got on top for the next 20 minutes and edged in front with 2 penalties as their experienced out half lapped up the extra time and space resulting from the uncontested set piece and dictated the game. Randalstown clawed their way back into the match however, and with 25 minutes on the clock a driving maul from a lineout took the pack into Lurgan territory. Out half Laverty then took over driving hard into the home defence. McWhirter spun the ball out quickly but instead of finding one of his pacy backline, Loughlin burst onto the ball and crashed into two defenders on the line. The diminutive hooker, much to skipper Hyndman’s relief, managed to stretch over the whitewash and touch down. McWhirter added the conversion to put ‘Town ahead again.
At this stage ‘Town were dominating play with McGarry, Crawford and Smith all to the fore as they attempted to stretch the home defence. Poor discipline however, coupled with sheer bad luck as the ball just wouldn’t go to hand thwarted their efforts.
Just before half time ‘Town suffered a further blow with the loss of winger Ben Winter through injuryand Lurgan took immediate advantage of the disruption in the ‘Town back-line as they added a penalty and a converted try to take a half time lead of 16-10.
There was little to choose between the sides in the opening 15 minutes of the second half before Lurgan slotted over a long range penalty to increase their lead.
This spurred ‘Town into action and they enjoyed their best period of the match for the next 10 minutes laying siege to the home line. They went close with a fine rolling maul again from a line out and were held out a number of times by dogged Lurgan defending. Then Hume took a heavy blow to the head and play was held up for 20 minutes as he received treatment, and eventually had to leave the field, fortunately without having suffered any serious damage.
Now reduced to 13 men ‘Town, with skipper Hyndman leading from the front, continued to dominate play, with Lurgan only making the occasional foray into their territory via the boot of their out half.
A fine take and drive from a lineout at close quarters was driven over, Conor Ferry claiming the final touch. McWhirter again added the extras.
It was a frantic last 10 minutes, with both teams now further reduced by a man and the home side closed the game out in the final minute. From a scrum on the ‘Town 22 the Lurgan number 9 broke down the uncovered blind side and sent his full back in for a converted try.
Randalstown Manager Gregor Sloane picked out the performances of McWhirter, Ferry and Hume on the afternoon. The side would also like to extend their thanks to Lurgan for their assistance in treating Ian Hume’s injury. There seems to be no serious injury to the young flanker, although the fact that he parted with £3 after the game was some cause for concern.
Next Saturday only the 1st XV are in action as they travel to Omagh in the League. On 22nd December they are on the road again to Larne while the 2nds entertain BHSFP at Neillsbrook and the 3rd XV take on their Larne counterparts, also at home.
