v’s Coleraine
Carrick win
On Saturday 15 December, the Maxol-sponsored Carrick 1st XV beat Section 1 side Coleraine
in the Junior Cup by 37 points to 36 in an entertaining game in which the lead changed
hands five times. Playing at home, Coleraine seemed determined to run the ball at
every opportunity and, in the end, paid the price for turning the ball over too often
to a Carrick side which was well equipped to take advantage. The high-scoring game
also reflected some slack defending by both sides but it was that sort of match!
Once again, Carrick Captain, Paul McIlrath was a tower of strength in defence, in
winning ball from re-starts and in ball-carrying. Props Paul Greenaway and David
McKeen were also prominent in the loose while Terry McCracken and Andy Kincaid disrupted
the Coleraine line-out and made a couple of crucial "steals". Open side Ross Marsden
capped a fine performance with a well taken try as did Michael Gilmour making his
1st XV deput on the wing. In the centre, Darren Wady and Adrian Patterson tackled
strongly and Wady scored a great intercept try from inside his own half at a critical
stage of the game.
On a bitterly cold afternoon, Carrick began well and, following a well placed kick
by Karl Wilkinson, and good chasing by Gilmour, they won turn-over ball , mounted
an attack in which both Wady and McKeen made ground and Paul McIlrath went over from
quick ruck ball on the Coleraine line. Karl Wlkinson added the points. The home side
began to move the ball from just about everywhere on the field and, after ten minutes,
were rewarded when their inside centre scored an excellent try following a free kick
awarded for a line-out infringement in the Carrick 22. The try was converted to level
the scores. Continuing to play with ball in hand, Coleraine took the lead after twenty-one
minutes when a missed tackle allowed the ball-carrier to make thirty metres before
transferring it inside to one of the mid-field backs who scored near the posts. Again,
the try was converted. Five minutes later, Carrick reduced the deficit with a well
struck penalty by Karl wilkinson. This was awarded following a good Carrick attack
with McIlrath and McKeen prominent as ball-carriers. On thirty-one minutes, Carrick
re-gained the lead when, from turn-over ball, Ross Marsden broke through the Coleraine
defence and raced in from thirty metres out. This try was not converted but Carrick
now led by 15 points to 14. Just five minutes later, with a Carrick player in the
bin, the home team got back into the lead when they opted for a scrum following a
penalty award and, with some slick handling, got in at the corner. The try was not
converted and, on the stroke of half-time, another Wilkinson penalty got Carrick
back to within one point.
Carrick began the second half strongly and were rewarded with a try after four minutes.
From a penalty, Wilkinson found touch in the Coleraine 22, Carrick were awarded the
put-in at a scrum following the line-out, scrum-half Glen Picken made a break from
the base of the scrum and, following quick ruck ball, centre Adrian Patterson was
able to force his way over. The try was converted by Karl Wilkinson. Then, two minutes
later, the home side tried to mount an attack from around half-way but Darren Wady,
with perfect judgement, intercepted and ran more than fifty metres to score. Again,
Karl Wilkinson added the conversion to give Carrick a 32 points to 19 lead. The,
by now somewhat shell-shocked, home side then began a fight back and, aided by some
poor Carrick defending, scored tries on eleven and fourteen minutes. The second was
converted to leave Carrick leading by just one point at 32-31. Coleraine continued
to press and, after twenty-five minutes, took the lead when, after going through
several phases, they scored a good back-line try in the corner. This was not converted
so the home side now led by 36 points to 32. From the re-start, the visitors began
to press with McKeen, McIlrath, Picken, Marsden and Saberton all making inroads in
a series of Carrick attacks. When a Coleraine player was sent to the bin, the Carrick
pressure was simply too much and, after going through several phases, the ball was
moved quickly to Gilmour on the right wing and he used his pace to round the defence
and, from twenty metres out , to get in at the corner. The try was not converted
but Carrick now led by one point and held on comfortably until full-time to win by
37 points to 36. Indeed, they could have scored again when, in injury time, Paul
Saberton made a break which took him from his own 22 to Coleraine's but the home
side managed to scramble the ball into touch from his attempted off-load.
Perhaps a somewhat unexpected but thoroughly deserved win for Carrick which leaves
open the possibility of qualification for the knock-out stages of the Junior Cup.
The win against Section 1 opposition will send them back into the League campaign
with re-newed confidence. They will need to be at their best when they entertain
CIYMS at Woodlawn on Saturday 22 December.
The Carrick team against Coleraine was:
P. Saberton: M. Gilmour, A. Patterson, D. Wady, D. Crothers; K. Wilkinson, G. Picken;
D. McKeen, G. Baxter(M. Scott), P. Greenaway, T. McCracken, A. Kincaid(A. Haire),
M. Nugent, R. Marsden, P. McIlrath(Capt).
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