Bonus point is the consolation

Bonus point is the consolation

30 October 2013

ATROCIOUS conditions greeted both teams at Templeville Road on Saturday, with Ballynahinch playing with the wind to their backs for the first half.

With hardly a minute on the clock, the referee was reaching for his pocket and handed Chris Taylor a yellow card for an allegedly dangerous tackle on a College player.

Conditions were clearly going to be the master of this match as both teams struggled to maintain any possession and the referee would be dictating the scoreline through penalties. Taylor came back on to the pitch, only to have to be replaced through injury by Chris Stevenson.

St. Mary’s were first on the scoreboard after ‘Hinch were penalised close to their own line in front of the posts. Gavin Duffy stepped up and kicked the simple points.

The College team piled on the pressure from the restart and ‘Hinch were penalised again for hands in the ruck, allowing St. Mary’s the opportunity to kick for the corner.

‘Hinch were not doing themselves any favours in the difficult conditions and they were penalised for being offside at the resultant line-out. Another easy three points for Duffy.

At the half hour mark, ‘Hinch were impacted by an injury to Mike Graham, who was replaced by Kenneth Morton in the second row.

With 37 minutes gone Stevenson was penalised off an offside at a ruck in front of the ‘Hinch posts and the referee issued his second yellow of the match to the replacement prop. Duffy again slotted the easy three points to give the home side 9-0 half-time lead.

Ballynahinch started the second half clearly in a different frame of mind and whatever coach Derek Suffern had said to them was working.

But again it was St. Mary’s who were first on the second half scoreboard with another long range kick from the capable Duffy.

On 48 minutes, Ritchie Lobb got ‘Hinch’s first point through an excellently struck kick into the wind after the College men had infringed at a ruck.

‘Hinch now settled into the game and had their best period of play, instigated by an Aaron Cairns break and several phases of good forwards’ play, Ballynahinch were rewarded with a penalty.

The ball was run, but the move came to nothing as the referee decided that two ‘Hinch players had crossed.

On 60 minutes a serious injury to Chris Stevenson saw him stretchered off with a suspected fractured leg. Once play had restarted, a further Lobb penalty followed on 65 minutes as St. Mary’s came offside at the breakdown.

Time was now against the visitors and Paul Pritchard was penalised as he contested at the breakdown and Duffy again took a further three points.

Deep into injury time the ‘Hinch clinched an important losing bonus point as Lobb kicked a simple penalty after St. Mary’s interfered with a pass.

Ballynahinch: Michael Cromie, Johnny Murphy, Chris Taylor, John Madden, Robert Greer, Neil Faloon, Paul Pritchard, Mike Graham, Aaron Cairns, James McBriar, David McIlwaine, Robin Harte, Stuart Morrow, Adam Craig, Ritchie Lobb. Replacements: Chris Stevenson, Gavin Armstrong, Kenneth Morton, Peter Weir, Matthew Arneill.

St. Mary’s 15

Ballynahinch 9

ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE DIV 1A