Sparkling show from ‘Hinch

Sparkling show from ‘Hinch

10 December 2014

BALLYNAHINCH put in the performance of the season with a magnificent second half display of controlled rugby to hold out against league leaders Terenure at a very wet and windy Ballymacarn Park.

The ‘Hinch kicked off with the wind blasting at their backs and looked as though they would need at least a 12-point advantage by half-time.

They quickly settled into the game by controlling play and possession. Richard Reaney opened the scoring when he converted a penalty in the 16th minute after Terenure were caught offside at a ruck on their 22. Reaney repeated the dose for the same offence in the 22nd minute.

The Dubliners struck back with a try in the 24th minute when Kevin O’Neill attacked the blind side from a scrum on halfway.

The Hinch tackling was poor, allowing O’Neill to put wing James O’Donoghue clear to race in for the score. Mark O’Neill converted the extras.

Despite some earnest work from the forwards, in particular hooker Jonny Murphy and second row Jonny Madden, Ballynahinch could only manage one more score before half-time.

Terenure flanker James O’Neill failed to use his arms when tackling Madden and Reaney was successful with his third shot at goal in the 33rd minute to leave ‘Hinch 9-7 clear at the break.

Now with the wind at their backs the visitors set siege on the Hinch half, taking the lead once again in the first minute when O’Neill converting a penalty goal after ‘Hinch had been guilty of crossing on the edge of their 22.

Terenure half-backs Kevin O’Neill and Mark O’Neill used the conditions well, forcing the ‘Hinch to return play from deep inside their own half.

The turning point in the game came in the 48th minute. Terenure opted to move the ball on halfway and the blitz ‘Hinch defence put them under pressure, allowing Richard Reaney to intercept and sprint clear to score. He failed to add the extras, leaving the home side with a narrow 14-10 lead.

It was a major setback for the Dubliners and they suffered a further loss when scrum half Kevin O’Neill was yellow-carded in the 51st minute for back chat to the referee.

While the visitors started to falter the ‘Hinch men dug in and, led by No. 8 Michael Graham, they battled away for the remainder of the game with a wonderful display of controlled rugby into driving wind and rain.

Terenure had all the territory and possession during the final five minutes, but they failed to penetrate a very determined and spirited Hinch defence and the home side managed to hang on for a well-earned and important victory.

A smiling ‘Hinch coach Derek Suffern said afterwards: “That was probably one of the best fixtures have I been involved in up here, perhaps outside of the semi-final of the All-Ireland Cup when we beat Garryowen, but certainly in 1A in the last two years, it is defiantly the best performance we have had on this pitch.”

“We thought we were building quite nicely, we kicked a few scores and we were building well as we started to put them under pressure.

“We knocked on a few balls, and were not quite clinical enough. Unfortunately we gave them a really soft score from a right side scrum, which gave them a wee bit of momentum.

“In the last 15 minutes of the half we went off the boil because of that score. We certainly felt underdone coming in at half-time. We thought we could have had a few more points as a bit of a buffer.”

“We started the second half with a great carry from Mike Graham and a box kick from Aaron Cairns. Then we made that simple penalty error, but we got that intercept and we managed to kick on.

“Some of carries from our forwards were fantastic, and luckily we held on at the end with some super defence.”

He added: “It was a 15-man team effort, but I thought Michael Graham was superb today — he deserves a mention. He has done it before in conditions like this from the base of the scrum, his carries were very good, got us over the gain line, gave us front foot, and certainly he was my man of the match.”

Ballynahinch 14

Terenure 10

AIL DIVISION 1A