Donegal blown away by sensational Uni 2’s
Uni were simply superb as Donegal were the visitors and had no answers for the hosts’ intensity that lasted from the first minute to the last proved to be too much for Donegal in a game that was called up short.
The weather conditions were not perfect for playing, as it rained the entire time making the ball very slippery indeed, however this did not dampen the Uni passion nor their skill level as they took an early mistake by Donegal and the ever improving Tommy ‘The Guns’ McLaughlin collected the ball on full stride and broke through the Donegal defensive line for the first score of the game, conversion missed 5-0, 6mins gone.
The solid front row of Linsey McLaughlin, Scott Stevenson and Darryl McCorriston ensured solid scrums all day long, and from a scrum on the halfway line, quick ball along the back line saw Tony Colgan score in the corner after 14mins score 10-0 conversion missed.
At this point Donegal seemed perplexed by the sheer intensity and skill level of the Uni 2’s side as only minutes had passed and after a turnover created by the phenomenal John ‘JD’ Dillon allowed quick hands out the back line and then a great dummy pass by Ryan Gilmore saw him go over under the posts,
conversion kicked by Richard Murphy 17-0. A mistake by Donegal from the kick of saw the teams return to the halfway line for a scrum, quick pick up from Number 8, Stuart Whitcroft saw him interlinking with Jamie Ball and John Dillon and with great support lines by the 8 seen him over the white wash, conversion kicked 24-0 half time score.
Donegal kicked off the second after deep into the Uni 22 and the ball was fielded by wing forward JD and quick ruck ball allowed the Uni Full Back Romain Berge to pick a lovely line between the centres to run 60 meters and score under the posts, conversion kicked, 31-0. Again the Uni 2’s received a deep kick off, and great forward mauling saw JD run off the back of it and with a kick ahead, the Donegal backs had to scramble back, and the quick reactions of JD and Whitcroft allowing the Donegal fullback to play the ball before trying to turn him over gave the Uni a penalty under the posts for holding on, quick tap left saw centre Murphy crash over for a score, conversion scored 38-0. 5mins later new comer to the club Daniel Noble only on the pitch receiving a sneaky ball on the blind side wing and with a great side step seen him under the posts as he out sprinted the recovering defence of Donegal to dot the ball under the posts. Conversion Missed 43-0.
The pressure was relentless by the uni and a line out from a penalty gave the Uni back line another chance to run hard and true at Donegal as centre Gilmore crashed through on the miss pass, and off loaded beautifully to Whitcroft who supported fantastically all game, went over for his second try of the game conversion kicked
50-0.
55mins into the game and from an attacking scrum just outside the Donegal 22, Tommy McLaughlin took it upon himself to crash the ball up; but slack tackling by Donegal allowed Tommy to power his way over the line. Conversion missed. 55-0
The final play of the game saw a receiving kick collected and driven by prop McLaughlin, and fantastic rucking by Vice Captain Andrew Munce gave quick ball to the backline, with Daniel Morgan crashing up the centre, while passing the ball to Murphy who took his chance with a 2v1 to release Scott Stevenson the hooker down the wing and to go over near the posts, he converted his own try by a drop goal. The game was called up short with the final score 62-0.
The man of the match award has been the toughest yet, so tough in fact it has been awarded to both Stuart Whitcroft and John Dillon.
I XV 6 v Ballymoney I XV 17 ~ Junior Cup
The 1st xv travelled to Ballymoney for the 2nd round junior cup game billed as the major local derby of the round, which offered both clubs the opportunity of making the quarter finals for the second year in a row. The home team ran out deserved winners 17 – 6 in a good natured advertisement for the game and a hard encounter but only after their young neighbours gave them a real challenge to solve and for an hour the upset was a real possibility.
The game started with the students receiving the kick off which was well fielded by skipper Dunlevey who aided by second rows Leonard and McCullough drove hard into the Ballymoney midfield, quick ball recycled several times saw the students get into the home teams 22, but an unforced error allowed the ‘toon’ to clear their lines. The game for large periods of the first half ebbed and flowed with both sets of backs and forwards challenging each other but in general cancelled each other out. on the half hour mark the game came to life with an excellent student attack from hooker Ryan Eecock forcing a penalty from the home teams no6 going off his feet and offering the first kick at the posts from 30 m out however Whitcroft grazed the outside of the upright to leave things scoreless, the students pushed hard with some good lines being cut by centres Winder and fresher Henry but the professionalism of the home defence kept the students out.
Ballymoney then attacked opening the students up, however a great scramble defence and a superb tackle by Sam Hall kept the Ballymoney winger out, shortly after a soft penalty was conceded and the home team out half made no mistake to give the home team the lead.
The students through there impressive wing forwards Henley and Millar and props O’Neill and Wilkinson made real ground and forced a penalty from the mean Ballymoney defence which Whitcroft converted to level things. Just before half time and probably what became the telling pattern of the game was Ballymoney for the second time got into the Uni’s red zone and came away with another 3 points to go into half time 6- 3 in front.
The second half saw the students now playing towards the Clubrooms with the elements on there backs and the knowledgeable home crowed could sense an upset was possible and things tightened up shortly into the half when the students levelled things when they forced a penalty from a great break by fullback Rowden who used all his 16 st and 6′ 4” frame to make good yards and only by slowing the release of the ball did Ballymoney stop a probable try. The uni Out half punished accordingly. The students now in full flow were awarded another penalty from about 40 m out which dropped just under the crossbar, to Ballymoney’s relief.
Ballymoney showed, perhaps the difference between the teams from this point on that when they ventured into the Uni 22, two times in the next phase of the game once to convert a hard earned penalty and crucially to score the games only try by recycling 15 phases to eventually score in the corner. The conversion missed to give them a 14 – 6 lead.
The students to their credit continued to attack with Winger Sharpah and scrum half Murphy making strong runs and Dunlevey and Wilkinson plundering into Ballymoney territory even the introduction of fresh legs in the back row from the lively Aaron Doherty were all to no avail and importantly no points return. Disappointingly verbal and slow retreat from penalties, the indiscretions cost the university hard won yards and perhaps the game. Individuals should be looking at themselves rather than commenting on others, this would surely have helped their cause more. Ballymoney converted a penalty on the final whistle to rightly keep the bragging rights as the best team in the area however also knowing that the students made them work hard to make the quarter finals
