V’s Donaghadee
The Maxol-sponsored Carrick 1st XV were beaten by 37 points to 23 away at Donaghadee
on Saturday 19 September. With even more absentees than in previous weeks, and two
men playing out of position, the young Carrick side put up a creditable performance
against the a strong looking Donaghadee side. Indeed, playing "up the slope" and
into the wind in the second half, Carrick came out even with the home team, both
scoring 10 points. The visitors' problem was that a number of defensive lapses, when
they had the elements and topography in their favour in the first half, left them
trailing by 27 points to 13 at the break. To give credit to the home team, however,
they were on top throughout in most areas, especially the scrum. In the second half,
they basically denied Carrick any opportunity to establish them selves in their opponents'
half. (Carrick's try was a solo effort from inside their own 22!) It is, thus, to
the credit of the visitors that they restricted Donaghadee to just 10 points in a
half in which they had virtually total territorial dominance. Indeed, Donagahdee's
only try of the second half came in the second minute of injury time.
Carrick began well and took the lead with a Johnny Sheriff penalty after five minutes.
Donaghadee then converted two penalties before Sheriff levelled matters once again
after twenty minutes. Five minutes later, the home side got their first try when
a powerful surge pushed the Carrick pack off their own scrum ball and a chip through
the defence was touched down. The try was converted. Carrick hit back almost immediately
though when Andy McKeen got the touch down after good runs by Aaron McKinney and
Paul Saberton were followed by quick ruck ball close to the Donaghadee line. Johnny
Sheriff added the points to level the scores once again. On thirty-five minutes,
a defensive blunder by Carrick allowed Donaghadee to cut through the defence and
score from inside their own half.The try was converted and more poor defending by
the visitors gifted Donaghadee another try on the stroke of half-time. This was converted
to leave them leading by 27 points to 13 at the break.
The second half was mostly about Donaghadee keeping Carrick penned in their own half
but then failing to break down a courageous defence. After five minutes of the half,
Carriick gave themselves a glimmer of hope with a superb individual effort by stand-in
scrum-half, Aaron McKinney, who picked up turn-over ball inside his own 22 and raced
the length of the field to score in the corner, neatly side-stepping a Donaghadee
defender in the process. Johnny Sheriff put over an excellent conversion kick from
near rhe touch-line to bring the visitors back to within one score. However, this
was to be virtually Carrick's last visit to their opponents 22 although it took the
home side until the thirtieth minute of the half to extend their lead with a penalty.
Sheriff then put one over for Carrick five minutes later but Donaghadee finally sealed
the win with a converted try in the second minute of injury time thanks to a superbly
timed pass from their out-half. This made the final score 37 points to 23 in the
home side's favour and probably reflected their degree of dominance.
With more players back next week, Carrick will be looking for their first win of
the season away to relegated Londonderry YM.
The Carrick team against Donaghadee was:
M. Gilmore; P. Saberton, D. Kirkpatrick, J. Wady, G. McAuley; J. Sheriff, A. McKinney;
C. Blair, G. Baxter, P. Greenaway, S. Currie, M. Patterson, C. Ferris, R. Crymble,
A. McKeen.
The other Carrick teams were more successful on Saturday, with the 2nd XV beating
CIYMS by 27 points to 15 and the 3rds over-coming Harlequins IV by 27 points to 20.
The try scorers for the 2nds were Michael Patterson, Kyle Jordan, Ian Turner and
Wes Anderson. Wes Anderson also kicked two penalties and a conversion. Michael Irwin
was given the "man-of-the- match" award, his second in three games. Gareth Clarke
scored all four tries for the 3rds while Alan Smith kicked two conversions and a
penalty. The 4th XV were awarded the points when Ballyclare could not field a Vth
XV and all three youth teams took the League points against Portadown.
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