Ballynahinch stay up

Ballynahinch stay up

7 May 2014

BALLYNAHINCH secured their Division 1A status in fine style with a convincing 35-13 victory over Connacht side Buccaneers at Ballymacarn Park.

A David McIlwaine penalty goal in the fourth minute gave the home side the lead but Jack Carty had his Athlone side back on level terms in the 10th minute.

McIlwaine put ‘Hinch 6-3 up with a second penalty goal in the 13th minute. From the restart Rodger McBurney counterattacked and after a number of pick-and-goes the ball was flashed wide where Robin Harte dived over to score. McIlwaine added the extras to take the ‘Hinch 13-3 clear.

Buccs hit back with a well-worked try by winger Shane Layden, Carty adding the extras to make it 13-10 with 28 minutes played.

‘Hinch scored their second try five minutes before half-time. McBurney was on the end a move, which he finished off behind the posts. Buccs tight head Diarmuid Higgins was yellow-carded for playing a man off the ball. McIlwaine’s conversion made it 20-10.

The third Hinch try came in the 37th minute when Aaron Cairns made a blind side break, passing inside for McIlwaine to finish. The conversion was missed, leaving the ‘Hinch with 25-10-half-time lead.

McIlwaine added three more points with a 44th minute penalty, but this was countered by Carty four minutes later. As pressure mounted on the ‘Hinch line, Cairns was yellow-carded for a deliberate defensive infringement in the 58th minute.

Ballynahinch secured their victory with a wonderful piece of quick thinking between McIlwaine and James Simpson.

McIlwaine found Simpson with a quick throw which caught Buccs cold. Simpson passed outside to McIlwaine, who sprinted in underneath the posts to score.

The conversion took Hinch 35-10 clear and they held on strongly to maintain Division 1A rugby at Ballymacarn Park next season.

Hinch coach Derek Suffern said afterwards: “It was a game which I thought we deserved to win. We took control of play pretty early with a couple of scores and went into half-time ahead.

“I was very happy with how we did in the first half, but they put us under real pressure in the second half after we had got that yellow card and they battered our line for a long time.

“The key point of the game was the quick line-out by McIlwaine and Simpson which resulted in the fourth try and that took the momentum out of their game.

“I am very happy with all the work ethic throughout the final weeks of the season. To retain our position in 1A is much deserved and is just reward for all these efforts.

“The last quarter of the season has been phenomenal, to coach in this division is not easy. The attention detail that is needed is as close to Ulster Ravens games as you would get.

“The Leinster A team have a large number their players placed in their Division 1A teams and our boys have really stood up to the intensity of this new challenge.

“From a coaching point of view we have had to adjust the way we do things and how we play. It is as close to professional rugby to an extent as you can get in the All Ireland League.”

He added: “We now know how teams play. We now know how to win games in this division. We now tactically know what we need to do and get better at. It is so exciting for next season, the coaching staff are all on board again, the majority of our players will be here and I would say the group cannot wait to get into it next season.”

Ballynahinch 35

Buccaneers 13

ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE PLAY-OFF