Nutty Krust Tournament Armagh U18’s v Malone U18’s 10th February 2016
The third of this season’s games in the Nutty Krust U18 Tournament took place under the floodlights at a crisp and dry Chamber’s Park when Armagh U18’s and Malone U18’s played on Wednesday evening. The Armagh U18 team recorded a try bonus point 24-10 victory having built up a 10-5 lead by the break. A sizeable crowd had gathered to watch an entertaining game which featured quite a few talented players on both teams. Among the group was Michael Black, the Ulster Rugby Age Grade Manager, and Jonny Gillespie, the Ulster Rugby talent ID Manager.
The Malone U18 team started the game well and might have taken a 3-0 lead early in the game only to see a well struck Jack Knox penalty kick attempt come back into play off the upright. The Armagh team, with their scrum gaining domination, then had opportunities to attack the Malone line but the Malone defence held firm. They broke out of defence and forced the Armagh team into conceding a penalty. The penalty was taken quickly and, after a series of phase plays, the Malone team got rewarded for their enterprise when their hard working hooker, Steve Nicholl, scrambled over for an unconverted try to give his team a 5-0 lead. The Malone team was now enjoying territorial and possession dominance and almost scored a second try when James Rae broke away from his own half only to be stopped from scoring by a superb tackle from Shea O’Brien. Eventually the Malone team did score a second try when their winger, Owen Lanes, outwitted the opposition defence and ran in for an unconverted try to increase the Armagh lead to 10-0. With almost the final play of the first half the Armagh team launched an attack from a penalty close to the Malone 5m line. Clever decision making and the recognition of space by the Armagh backline was rewarded when Shea O’Brien finished a flowing move off with an unconverted try to reduce the Armagh deficit to 10-5 at the halftime break.
This seemed to bring the Armagh team to life and they controlled the second half of the game for long periods of time. The Armagh backline attacks looked dangerous with William Holden, Cormac Fox and Josh Grant asking questions of the opposition defence. However, they found the Malone defence to be unyielding with players such as Hugh Thompson, Jack Knox, James Rae and Michael Browne getting through a lot of work. That was until the twentieth minute when the Armagh attack turned down a penalty kick opportunity at the Malone posts. The ball was moved swiftly to the left hand side of the pitch, recycled and good communication within the backline encouraged Cormac Fox to launch a “kick pass” which ended up in the grateful hands of Shea O’Brien who had taken up a good position on the right hand side of the pitch. Shea needed no encouragement to finish off with a try, which was converted by Cormac Fox, to put the Armagh team into a 12-10 lead with fifteen minutes remaining. Good game management from the Armagh half backs, William Holden and Cormac Fox, kept the Armagh pack on the front foot. Paul Mullen, Evan Morton and Barry Finn were causing problems for the Malone team and it came as no surprise when these three combined to put Evan Morton in for a try, which was converted by Cormac Fox, to increase the Armagh lead to 19-10. With just minutes of the game remaining the Armagh team launched one final attack and went through a series of positive attacking phases. Paul Mullen capped a fine personal performance when he presented Barry Finn with the opportunity to score the final try of the night. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful but it mattered not. The Armagh team had won the game by 24-10 and, with their four tries, received a try bonus point as well.
As usual with the Nutty Krust Tournament the players all received a post-match meal which was sponsored by Jim Hewitt Meats, prepared by the staff in “Scrummies” kitchen and organised by the ever present Sid Rowe. All players, as well as their coaches, received a Nutty Krust loaf on departure.
The President of the Ulster Branch, IRFU, Bobby Stewart, took time out of his busy schedule to attend the match. Sid Rowe, a member of the organising committee for the Nutty Krust Tournament presented the Nutty Krust “Man of the Match” Award to the impressive Armagh and Ulster Youth Prop, Paul Mullen.
The first of the Second Round group stage games in the 2016 Nutty Krust Tournament will feature Ballynahinch U18’s v Omagh U18’s at 7-45 pm on Wednesday 17th February. All supporters will be made to feel very welcome.
