Dress rehearsal win for ‘Hinch

13 January 2016

BALLYNAHINCH welcomed Galwegians to Ballymacarn Park on Saturday in the first match of a double header, one All-Ireland League match and next week away in Galway in the semi-final of the Bateman All-Ireland Cup.

Ballynahinch started with purpose and chasing Quinn’s kick off, immediately put the visitors visitors under pressure and after a couple of phases of play, Galwegians crept offside and were penalised by referee Kieran Barry. On the two minute mark Quinn stepped up a slotted over an easy penalty.

The Galway men came back hard and worked their back into the ‘Hinch half and after a couple of charging runs from the Galway captain Ja Naughton, referee Barry spotted ‘Hinch offside and awarded a penalty, which Shane O’Leary stepped up to convert to level the score on six minutes.

On 13 minutes, the visitors went offside at their own scrum and a penalty was awarded to the Ballymacarn team. Quinn was assured again with the boot and added a further three points to put the home side back in the lead.

‘Hinch continued to press the visitors, who refused to back off in either defence or attack and managed to absorb the home side’s onslaught. O’Leary evened up the score on the 22 minute mark after Galwegians were awarded yet another free.

‘Hinch pressurised the Galway outfit again towards the end of the half and used any infringements to gain field advantage into the 22.

Quinn put the home side back into the lead on 33 minutes as a desperate Galwegians defence tried to control the ‘Hinch’s relentless attacks.

This desperation spilled over on 37 minutes as Galwegians’ lock David Nolan and ‘Hinch’s Pritchard came out of a ruck and engaged in some pugilism, with Kieran Barry deciding after a lengthy consultation with his touch judges, that Pritchard should enjoy a 10-minute sojourn as yellow was shown, much to the distain of the Ballymacarn faithful. O’Leary missed the extras and ‘Hinch went into half-time with a three point lead.

The second half started off with both sides fired up from their respective half-time words of wisdom and within a few minutes Ja Naughton joined Pritchard after he saw yellow for throwing a punch at a ruck. Quinn missed his only kick of the game and the score remained 9-6.

Receiving the ball from the kick-off, John Donnan, working well with his lock partner, Ulster’s Peter Browne and supported by prop Jonny Blair, getting his first start in the UBL, drove well down the centre of the pitch and with good hands from the ‘Hinch backs, Robin Harte broke down the right wing, passed back inside after beating two tacklers and McIlroy dotted down behind the line. Quinn added the easy extras on 48 minutes, 16-6.

With the pressure now telling on an increasingly dejected 14-man Galwegians, they were penalised again on 51 minutes for collapsing a maul as Craig Trenier and Jonny Murphy rolled and worked the ball down the pitch and Quinn added a further three points to his increasing total, 19-6.

The Crowley Ground team were clearly spurred on at this point and started to take control back again as stalwart Naughton returned to the field to settle the nerves and after a period of excellent play through their hard hitting pack, flanker Marc Kelly got over the whitewash with O’Leary missing the extras, 19-11.

With 15 minutes to play ‘Hinch managed to get their hands back on the ball after kicking off and through continued clinical work at the ruck and the maul, the ball was moved to Sam Windsor.

He put what can only be described as a visionary kick between the defending Galwegians backs for winger Cairns to gather and step inside to beat the last defender and get his name on the scoreboard with Quinn increasing the lead further with his extras, 26-11

Derek Suffern’s charges now dug deep to consolidate their lead and turn the screw some more as a fog descended on the pitch and on Galwegians efforts, as they were penalised again as the clock crept into the last 10 minutes.

A clever kick from Windsor saw ‘Hinch well within the Galway 22 and the rolling maul from the resulting line out saw Conor Joyce break and crash over the line, with Quinn adding two more points, 33-11.

With a final flourish, Galwegians battled their way into the ‘Hinch 22 and at the end of a good backs move, winger John Cleary was the extra man and went over in the corner for a late consolation try.

A Bateman All-Ireland Cup semi-final awaits ‘Hinch this weekend away in Galway and there is no doubt that an equally hard task looms for the County Down outfit as they head to Crowley Grounds

Ballynahinch: Craig Trenier, Jonny Murphy, Jonny Blair, John Donnan, Peter Browne, Conor Joyce, Paul Pritchard, David McGuigan, Blane McIlroy, Sam Windsor, Chris Quinn, Robin Harte, Jordan Grattan, Aaron Cairns, Manihera Eden. Replacements: Chris Stevenson, Zack McCall, James Simpson, Mike Graham, Will Stewart.

Ballynahinch 33

Galwegians 16

ULSTER BANK ALL-IRELAND

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