Confident U15s run riot over Armagh opponents

LURGAN Under 15s travelled to Armagh on Saturday full of confidence and hoping to extend their winning start to the season, and came away with a well deserved 34-7 win.

Lurgan settled into the game immediately from the kick off, dominating play in both the tight exchanges and in open play, and after only two minutes Curtis Doak scored the opening try of the game. The platform for this score was provided by the entire team demonstrating good rucking technique and continuity of possession, with Cailin Webb, Conor Brady and Jonny Good catching the eye.

This pattern of play was to continue for the entire half as Lurgan continually asked questions of the Armagh defence, and it wasn’t long until Jack Hanna scored the second try with a brilliant solo effort. Taking the ball deep in his own half he evaded several Armagh defenders, before showing blistering pace to score under the posts. The conversion was added by Cailin Webb.

At this stage Lurgan were completely dominating every aspect of the game, controlling both territory and possession, and after 10 minutes the third Lurgan try was scored. After a good lineout catch and drive by the forwards, captain Jonny Good broke open and powered his way over the Armagh line, with Matthew Laird adding the conversion.

Straight from the re-start Lurgan pressurised the Armagh defensive line again, with Conor Brady making several searing breaks with his elusive running in open play and Jonny Good having a try harshly disallowed, before Curtis Doak touched down in the corner to score his second try of the match.

Less than five minutes later Lurgan scored their fifth try. Curtis Doak made the initial break before offloading to Jack Hanna in support, who took the pass and outpaced the Armagh cover defence to score under the posts. Matthew Laird added the conversion. Lurgan were denied another couple of tries by some last ditch Armagh defence, as both Curtis Doak and Jonny Good were held up on the line, to leave the half time score 29-0 in Lurgan’s favour.

After without doubt the best 30 minutes of rugby played by the under 15’s this season, it was no surprise that the second half failed to live up to the same standard as the first. Lurgan failed to take the momentum from the first half into the second half which allowed Armagh back into the game in terms of territory and possession, and after a string of penalties on the Lurgan line, Armagh scored a well deserved converted try, despite a great defensive effort by the Lurgan team.

Ten minutes into the second half, and against the run of play, Lurgan scored their sixth try of the match. Cailin Webb charged down a defensive clearance kick and gathered the ball to score a hard earned try, and cap what was his best display of the season. The remainder of the game proved to be a stern defensive test for the Lurgan team, as Armagh began to gain the ascendancy. In total contrast to the attacking flair in the first half, Lurgan showed great character, team spirit and determination in defence to deny Armagh any further scores in the second half, to leave the final score 34-7.