Dalriada school Cambridge House

Rugby

The 1st XV registered their first win 15-6 with a solid performance against Cambridge House in Ballymena. With improves performances over the last few weeks it was just a matter of time before the win came.

Dalriada enjoyed a clean sweep over the Ballymena school registering good wins at all levels.

Earlier on it was the home side that started better and soon had a penalty on the board. John Laughlin managed to get one back to even the score but with growing control Dalriada scored a well worked try through Jackson Severn. Cambridge House managed to get a score back towards the end of the half and added a penalty to make it 8-6 at half time.

The 2nd half started with both sides evenly contesting the breakdown but gradually it was the Dalriada side who through a number of phases worked a well taken try by Richard McMaster converted by John Laughlin. With the score 15-6 Dalriada were able to control the possession to secure the win.

The 2nd XV had an excellent win scoring a big win scoring five tries in their 38-0 win. Dalriada Medallion produced their best display of the season so far by beating a very strong Cambridge House side for the first time in four years and in a quick response to the defeat at Cambridge House four weeks ago.

Again due to injuries and cry offs the squad was down to the bare bones with only sixteen players reporting for the match, Jamieson switching to full back and Sparks moving from full back to fly half in the backs, with McCarron moving to prop,  Boreland coming into the Hooker berth and Trail moving in to the back row, Cambridge came flying out of the blocks and scored with the first move of the game rounding off a move into the left hand corner converting to go 7-0 up, Dalriada tightening up on their game then produced a moment of magic with Sparks popping a ball to the crashing Henderson who went twenty yards to touch down, Sparks adding the conversion. Shortly after Cambridge broke the Dalriada defence and went over again converting to lead 14-7, a backs combination move finished off by centre Finnerty, brought Dalriada within two points of Cambridge, The referee calling half time on a very exciting first half.

 Two quick tries one  from Finnerty who gathered the ball from another scintillating back move and wing Hunter who collected a loose pass and sprinted from the half way line both converted by Sparks pushed Dalriada into a 26-14 lead.

In a see saw match Cambridge came back yet again to score two quick replies to bring the scores all level at 26-26. Just when the large and vocal crowd started to think a draw was on the cards, the resilient and pumped up  Dalriada team once more thrust into the Cambridge half and a crunching burst from centre Henderson who went over gave Sparks a kick from in front of the posts to lead 33-26. As Cambridge tried to get back into the match another switch from the running backline found Finnerty unopposed to run in for his hat trick and Dalriada’s sixth and match winning try again converted by Sparks making the final score 40-26

 This was a fantastic result both in how to play running rugby and how to use a very small squad to its best, but trying to establish a man of the match was impossible so special mention goes to Centres Finnerty and Henderson Fly Half Sparks the pick of the backs with Malcolmson, Christie and Graham in the forwards.

Dalriada U14 played at home to Cambridge House on Saturday and got caught napping at the start of the game when the visitors seemed to find space out wide to run in a score after 2 minutes of play. The Dalriada men remained composed and put together some good phases of play with out half Angus Johnston nipping in for a try to get the home side up and running. Cambridge house were competitive at ruck time and the forwards had their work cut out for them and were justly rewarded for their efforts with tries from back row pair Montgomery and Curry. Half time score 19-7. Dalriada went out in the second half and seemed to up the tempo and immediately found themselves stretching their opponents. Quickly recycled ball by scrumhalf Eyemere found Johnston in space who sold an outrageous dummy along with a clean pair of heels to go over for his second try of the day. Soon after this, winger Gavin McCaughern gathered the ball in his own 22 and set off on a spectacular run fending off what seemed like half of the visiting team on his way to the try line to score the best solo try of the day. There was no let up from the Dalriada men with further tries from fullback Warke and winger Bingham as well as one from Kernohan to keep the forwards in on the action. Final score 48-7. Man of the match, Angus Johnston.

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