Bonus point boost for Rifle Park men

This may only have been an Ulster League game and against an Instonians side going through a re-building phase.

But after four successive set-backs since Christmas, two in the Ulster League and two in the All-Ireland, the result and the performance will have pleased coach Daniel Soper, especially in advance of this weekend’s trip to City of Derry.

Apart from the win, Soper will have been impressed with the form of his younger players, with out-half Adam Doherty, winger Matthew McDonald, and replacement hooker Peter Cromie all making telling contributions.

All three qualify for U-19 rugby, but while their age-grade team-mates were beating Randalstown on the adjacent pitch, they were playing their part on the bigger stage as Bann ran in six unanswered tries.

With Rifle Park unplayable, the game had been switched to Banbridge Academy’s grounds and the excellent playing surface there allowed both teams to run the ball at every opportunity.

If the final scoreline reflected unfairly on the visitors’ contribution to the action, it was because their attack lacked the cutting edge to capitalise on a reasonable share of territory.

Doherty kicked off the scoring in the 10th minute, supporting a threequarter move to outflank the Inst defence and touch down. Ian Porter added the conversion and his penalty eight minutes later took the home side’s tally into double figures.

Porter’s neat reverse flip pass was collected by Chris Allen and the lock raced from the “22” to touch down under the posts, the scrum half’s conversion a formality.

Despite Jonny Murphy’s yellow card for a technical offence Bann continued to have the edge and prop Michael Cromie‘s support work got its reward just before interval when he touched down at the corner flag.

With centre Jonny Little retiring injured at the start of the second half, McDonald moved into the centre with James Andrews taking his place on the wing. And it was McDonald’s scything break through the Instonians midfield that set up the fourth try, with his perfectly timed long pass leaving Andrew Morrison with a run-in from the “22”. Porter added the extras with a conversion from the touchline.

Ten minutes from the end Doherty intercepted on halfway to find his way clear to the posts for the fifth try. And when Peter Cromie turned over ruck ball on his “22”, flanker Stephen Irvine broke away before sending Morrison off on a 60 metre run to the Instonians line, with Porter’s fifth conversion from six attempts concluding the scoring.