v’s Ballymena II, TC - Away
Carrick lose...
Carrick 1st XV were knocked of the Towns' Cup on Saturday 31 January when they were
well beaten by Ballymena II in a second round encounter at Eaton Park. The Maxol-sponsored
Carrick side, having led by 13 points to 5 until the thirty-fifth minute, had a disastrous
last five minutes of the first half, conceding three tries, and eventually lost by
44 points to 13. Ballymena, who are unbeaten in the 2nd XV League, did not get into
their stride until late in the first half but, when they did, they simply had too
much pace and power for the Qualifying League side. That said, Carrick did contribute
to their own downfall by a loss of concentration at times, manifested in some slack
defending.
Carrick got off to a terrible start, conceding an unconverted try to Ballymena winger
Nigel Hall virtually from the kick-off. To their credit, they came straight back
at Ballymena and, following a period of pressure close to the hosts' line, Glen Picken
fed a neat pass to hooker Glen Baxter who dived over. Karl Wilkinson added the points.
For the next half hour, Ballymena could not get their speedy backs moving, partly
due to the pressure Carrick managed to exert in the loose, and two Karl Wilkinson
penalties extended the visitors' lead to 13 points to 5. On the thirty-fifth minute,
however, the home side opened up the Carrick mid-field defence and winger Robbie
McGreer went in at the corner. This was followed in quick succession by tries from
Alan Campbell and Michael Smith, only the last of which was converted, leaving Ballymena
leading by 22 points to 13 at the break.
Carrick needed to get off to a good start in the second half to get back into the
match but again conceded a try virtually from the kick-off, Matt Burke getting the
touch-down for Ballymena on this occasion. After ten minutes, prop Chris Allen added
another for the home side. Although Carrick kept battling away, and held out for
the next fifteen minutes, Ballymena managed two more tries through centre Rob Johnson
and winger Nigel Hall who got his second.
Carrick were up against a side which was simply too strong and for whom everything
went right after the first half-hour. For Carrick, it is now a matter of re-grouping
and focussing on the League in which they are still very much in contention. Next
Friday night they travel to Bangor(kick-off 7.30) who, along with Ballyclare are
the Section 2 pace-settersIt will be difficult but a win there would set Carrick
up nicely for the run-in, with five home games and two away matches left.
The Carrick team against Ballymena was:
M. Gilmore(G. McAuley); P. Saberton, K. Quinn, A. McKinney, W. Shaw; K.Wilkinson,
G. Picken(Capt); D. McKeen, G. Baxter, P. Greenaway, C. Rea, S. Currie, M. Hadden,
A. McKeen, P. McIlrath.
All of the other Carrick games were called off on Saturday because of the weather
conditions.
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