UUC 1st XV now 6 from 6
This match billed as a top of the table clash, lived up to its expectations with a high quality, entertaining game of rugby served up by both teams despite the atrociousness weather conditions at Uprichard park. The game started with the lively student team taking the match to the home team with the University back row of Mike Dunlevey, Ollie Millar and Henley prominent with some big carries and recycled well into the Bangor 22, the home team having to work hard to clear their line, however a clever series of kicks first from scrumhalf Jamie Ball whose game management was excellent all day, and then fullback Lee Murphy kept them pinned deep in there goal line quarter of the field.
The weather very much dictated that patterns of play should be tight and probably any expansive play would be error strewn however the opening score of the game came from the university out-half Whitcroft making the brave decision to put the ball clinically through the hands of his backs and outside center Winder made a great ghosting run cutting out and then back in, totally standing the home defence up before he looped a pass to Sam Hall on the wing who ran in for a trade mark quality finish. The difficult conversion was kicked by Whitcroft, crucial within the context of the match, but reward for the 10 who had spent an hour before the game working out how to use the elements from the kicking tee, (proving the old saying right you prepare to fail if you fail to prepare) 7-0 to the visitors with a quarter of the game gone. 
The visitors started strongly but it was Carrick who took the lead with a penalty b
As you would expect from a team of Bangor’s tradition the home team came back strongly from the restart and only from some outstanding tackling on the home team midfield by fresher Henry who improves with every game coupled with the uni work horses in the second row of Danny Morgan and Darren Leonard stepping up to the mark by stopping Bangor’s ball carriers on the gain line on every occasion. The students continued to ride out the well organised onslaught and ball kicked into the swirling wind was well dealt with by the Uni wingers Rowden and Hall, despite there effort however the home team never really threatened the young visitors line. The game moving to about the half hour mark, one of the trade marks of this student team is how all 15 players contribute intelligent rugby and a superb inter passing phase from the front row of Wilkinson, Eecock and O’Neill to which any back line would have been proud of released the hard running University skipper Mike Dunlevey who beat one defender then choose to go for a kick and chase option, however the ball carried to far and went dead. Unfortunately Prop Wilkinson damaged a metatarsal and from that point on limped from set play to set play for the remainder of the game.
Bangor score to level things up, which came from the one period of the game when the students dropped there high standards and made several unforced errors, from which the home team duly punished, a kick which would have entered touch, was unnecessarily flicked back into play, the Bangor winger was quickest too react and won the loose ball as he then popped it up onto his support runner a missed tackle let him make good yards and he stood up the fullback Murphy and fed his fullback who should have been brought down, but was not and he scored and the conversion followed. 7 -7
The Students regrouped and went after the next score, the pack dominated scrum and line out starving Bangor of possession, the visitors attacked the blind side regularly keeping the dangerous Bangor midfield starved of possession, their reward for hard work came just before the break when Man of the Match Dunlevey stole a lineout which eecock drove into the Bangor’s 10 channel, a quick clear out gave the uni 9 room to operate and his precision pass releasing winger Rowden whose clever pass to Dunlevey set the big 8 running at the Bangor back three having stood them up he kicked through and promptly won the foot race to put the score at half time 12 – 7 to the Uni.
The second half saw much the same pattern for 20min both teams trying hard but rarely getting into each others 22. The telling score came on the half hour mark when the students tightened up there attack with quick pick and drives deep into the red zone , Whitcroft controlled the pack well to create the right angle to allow a drop goal attempt which bisected the posts to give the students the crucial 8 point lead. Bangor attempted to chase the game but the student’s defence not only stopped them but also turned over ball on key occasions. The home team also did not help there cause by missing a penalty attempt which would have given them a loosing bonus point. The university then showed the safest way to defend by camping on the Bangor goal line and Marty O’Neill and then Ryan Eecock crossing the score line but held up with wee Marty perhaps unlucky as some thought he had grounded. Final score Bangor 7 – UUC 15
Great away win for Uni 2’s
Great away win for Uni 2’s
UUC 2’s travelled the lengthy distance to Donegal RFC, from the kick off it was clear that the Donegal were out to make good on the 62-0 defeat they suffered at the Sam Logan Stadium. Both Donegal and Uni started off brightly with both teams defending tremendously with both teams missing some scoring opportunities at the posts but it was UUC to score first from some beautiful hands taking the uni lads up to the Donegal 22 but failed to capitalise, Matt ‘Tails’ Hill had a fantastic game at fullback controlling the game well, and importantly keeping Donegal back in their own half with well fielded kicks, but the sustained and constant pressure that
Was exerted onto Donegal resulted in a penalty just before half time, Richard Murphy once again showing his fine kicking ability took the 3points.
Half time 0-3
UUC made one change as Joe ‘Zeus’ McKinney was replaced by Liam ‘George’ O’Discin at the half time break. The second half saw the uni lads start with far more vigour than Donegal, such was the intensity number 8 Aaron Doherty charged down a kick just past the UUC 10metre line, kicked the ball on, and showing a fantastic turn of pace beat the Donegal winger to slide over the line, Conversion slotted over my Murphy 0-10.
This sparked the game into life as Donegal were now chasing the game and the defensive line led by returning backrower who put in massive tackles all day causing turnovers, this never let Donegal anywhere near the UUC try line. From a resulting scrum Doherty picked up a great hook by Scott ‘Randy’ Stevenson beating their seven and stepping 10, his line drew in the covering winger, he then popped up to the uni 9 who got hauled down just short of the line but hand the whereabouts to put a pass up from the deck to oncoming support of Stuart Whitcroft who went over in the corner, conversion missed 0-15
As Donegal were chasing the game hard now, they were starting to throw the ball wide at any occasion but the unrelenting pressure from the UUC backline saw a speculative pass picked of by Whitcroft who went half the length of the pitch to dot the ball below the posts, Murphy kicked the conversion 0-22
The rest off the half saw UUC play most of the game in Donegal territory, but on occasions couldn’t exploit their field position as the lineout was letting them down, but continued pressure resulted in Ty Young making a great hit followed in by Hetherington and it was a penalty for UUC Donegal were holding on, Murphy again calmly stepped up to the mark and took on the 3 points 0-25.
5 mins before time saw Hetherington making a break from the back of a maul beating 2 defenders, a breaking a great tackle he popped the ball outside him to supporting prop Linsey ‘Phats’ McLaughlin who burst over the line, but alas the referee deemed it a forward pass. Final Score 0-25
A great performance on the road for the UUC lads as returning player Kyle Hetherington scooped the man of the match award for his outstanding efforts on the pitch.
Next up is Letterkenny at home who are mid table and a very capable team indeed, the lads will have to hit the training fields this week to ensure a home win.
