Heartbreak for ‘Hinch in cup final

11 March 2020

BALLYNAHINCH cruelly missed out on regaining the Senior Cup at Kingspan on Friday night when they conceded a try with the last play of the game.

The pitch was in perfect order for this eagerly-awaited final as Ballynahinch stood between Armagh and a third successive triumph. The weather was perfect for enterprising rugby and both sides looked to move the ball at every opportunity.

Jack Regan lined out in the second row for ‘Hinch in his last appearance before heading off to play in New Zealand while Greg Hutley was rewarded for his excellent display against Lansdowne with a start at out half.

Ballynahinch opened the scoring with a powerful surge through the middle of the pitch from fit-again number eight Conall Boomer. Hutley converted to make it an early seven point lead. Armagh hit back with their first period of sustained possession. A clever cross-kick from Cormac Fox, while the referee played advantage for an infringement inside the ‘Hinch 22, was regathered by Armagh and scrum half Gerard Treanor sniped over from the ensuing ruck. Fox kicked an excellent conversion to level the scores.

Armagh moved ahead when they were awarded a penalty try after destroying the ‘Hinch scrum from close range following a line out maul which was held up over the line.

However, Ballynahinch came straight back up the pitch with an excellent multi-phase attack and when the Armagh defence had been sucked in, Ross Adair was on hand with a typically cool finish to a wide pass from Ryan Wilson.

Hutley’s conversion bounced back off the post from wide out to leave his team just behind at 14-12.

Fox knocked over an excellent penalty to take his side 17-12 ahead on 30 minutes as the ‘Hinch Down continued to have problems at the set-piece, but Hutley hit straight back with another well-struck effort following superb work on the floor from Oli Loughead.

As half-time approached, a penalty at the ruck allowed Armagh to kick for the corner, but a superb line out steal from Loughead allowed Ballynahinch out and they drove upfield with some excellent inter-passing to earn an attacking line out of their own.

Multiple phases later a stunning line from George Pringle saw him burst through the middle from 30m out to score under the sticks. Hutley’s conversion took his side 22-17 up at the break.

Marcus Rea followed up another incisive break close to the ruck from Paddy Wright and dived over after Zac McCall was stopped just short to take the lead to ten points at 27-17 early in the second half.

A superb, long grubber kick from Adair then pinned Armagh back and more strong carrying from Rea set up another attack.

However a knock-on turned possession over and allowed Armagh to run through the phases. A clean break in midfield from Chris Colvin saw him put Andrew Willis over for a score which was converted by Fox to cut the lead to just three points.

A visibly lifted Armagh then upped the tempo and hammered away inside the Ballynahinch 22 and spurned the chance for three points to go for the line out maul.

Great defence from Ballynahinch kept them out and an Armagh infringement allowed them to clear to half way. An aimless Armagh kick was then badly cleared by Ballynahinch and Armagh full back Shea O’Brien gathered his own chip ahead superbly to score under the post with the simple conversion allowing Fox to take Armagh 31-27 ahead.

The rollercoaster game swung again when Adair went in from halfway selling two dummies in the process.

Replacement out half Sean O’Hagan converted to take Ballynahinch 34-31 in front with five minutes to go. Armagh rolled the dice again with another wave of attacks, but a great turnover from Boomer won them a relieving penalty which O’Hagan cleared to halfway.

A mistake at the line out invited more pressure and Armagh won a scrum on the 22 after desperate ‘Hinch defence.

The scrum went nowhere as Aaron Cairns snagged Treanor at the back and the Armagh attack looked to have fizzled out until O’Brien cut another superb line with the last play of the match to score under the posts and win the game 38-34.

Not the result John Donnan and his men wanted, but a superb advertisement for club rugby in Ulster.

Ballynahinch 34

City of Armagh 38

SENIOR CUP FINAL

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