Last Saturday (22nd Jan.) Ballyclare High School 1st Xv travelled to Ashbourne Rugby Club north of Dublin to play Clongowes Wood College who are one of the top rugby schools in Leinster and who included several Leinster Schools players and an Irish Schools prop forward. This was always going to be a tough game and a real test for Ballyclare but good preparation for their Ulster Schools Cup (fourth round ) match this saturday morning away to Down High School. Clongowes made a powerful start just as Castleknock had done the previous Tuesday night against the Ballyclare boys and had scored three tries inside the first twenty minutes. The home side dominated in the scrums with their prop putting pressure on the Clare front row who to their credit stuck manfully to the task. Overall Clongowes were a physically bigger and stronger side and took a 17-0 lead before Ballyclare hit back after a well weighted kick by Jonny Holmes took the pack deep inside the home 22 and from the lineout Marc Logan drove over near the corner for an unconverted try. Play now became more evenly balanced and chances opened up but there was some mishandling . The Ballyclare backs made ground from a scrum and Chris McIntyre broke clear to put Peter Ferguson over for a try out wide to make it 17-10 at half time.
In the early part of the second half the East Antrim boys continued to press strongly against their heavier opponents and Holmes made it 17-13 with a well struck penalty.But when Clongowes countered the visitors failed to clear and the home winger squeezed over for a try which was rather dubious as he appeared to be in touch. The conversion took the home side 24-13 ahead but the final fifteen minutes saw Ballyclare pressing continuously and they were rewarded when number eight Jonny Darling surged over for a try converted by Holmes to make it 24-20.In the closing minutes the Clare lads pushed hard for a score to try and get the winner but credit has to go to the Clongowes defence who held out for a narrow win. According to coach Dan Soper this was a gutsy performance against a big strong Leinster team and there is conviction for progress this Saturday in the Schools Cup. Up front ther were sound games by Darling,Kennedy and Craig while Bartley showed up well on his return.Behind the scrum both Millar and Ferguson always posed a threat to the opposition. The team has played 19;won 16; drawn1 and lost two (only one to Ulster opposition) which is an excellent record as they look ahead to the Cup.
