At two o’clock last Saturday Donaghadee coach Jimmie McCoy was still facing selection problems for his First XV’s opening game of the league season. This had been because of a scarcely-believable series of cry-offs and late failures of fitness tests. Thursday’s training session had begun with the knowledge that Dougie Gordon, Billy Allen, Gareth Gordon […]
The first opportunity Donaghadee had to test the mettle of their opponents came early, and gave players and spectators an idea of what was to come. A clean line-out possession became a rolling maul that gave clear indication to spectators, players and referee that Donaghadee’s pack is a very formidable unit as they took their […]
Donaghadee began the game with the breeze diagonally behind them, and with this notional advantage they got first dibs at a penalty goal attempt. But Richard Millar’s aim was just wide. The Coleraine students came back at Donaghadee from the restart, and when the ball went to ground on halfway a desperation fly-hack flew towards […]
When Donaghadee visited Blaris last Saturday the day was mild and by this winter’s standards fairly dry and the pitch looked quite green. The day continued much the same but the pitch gradually took on a browner colour and a top surface that discouraged any fancy running. Donaghadee did mount a couple of dangerous runs […]
Saturday 20th March. Harry Allen reports. After their great runs in both Junior and Towns’ Cups had ended, and having recently suffered a serious league defeat to CIYMS in the League, Donaghadee went to Carrickfergus last Saturday feeling like they needed a solid victory to pull their season back together. With scrum half Alastair Lockhart […]
Saturday 6th March. Harry Allen reports. (Above picture: Kevin Monson starts an attack with Richard Millar in support.) When the staunch Donaghadee supporters watched their First XV take the field at Donaldson Park last Saturday there was only one serious question in their minds. Just how many changes had been forced on them in seven […]