Dalriada sunk by Bangor

Bangor Grammar 11

DALRIADA hosted Bangor Grammar School in their 4th Round Northern Bank Ulster Schools Cup game at the St James’s Road venue in Ballymoney.

The game was played with good overhead conditions and no wind to speak of.

The rain that fell in recent days had softened the pitch but it was a tribute to the Dalriada ground staff that the pitch was more than playable.

Dalriada started the game the stronger of the two sides and after fifteen minutes scored a nice try from 40 metres out. After the home pack had driven the ball up towards the Bangor line the backs then moved it left to right and the home team’s fullback, Jonny Laughlin, showed good pace to get on the outside of the Bangor drift defence to score a try in the corner.

The try was not converted but the Dalriada had a 5-0 lead. This stirred the visiting team on and they then enjoyed some period of pressure themselves.

On two occasions the backs went through the hands and created space but these attacks came to nothing and with it the first half came to an end with Dalriada maintaining their 5-0 lead.

The second half started with Bangor working their way into the home team 22m area and, after some sustained pressure, they won a penalty which was successfully converted by out half, Daniel Kennedy, to reduce the arrears to 5-3.

Both Bangor wingers created chances and were starting to look dangerous. On the back of a Cameron Strut run up the left flank, Bangor drove a lineout and one metre out from the try line Dalriada infringed resulting in Daniel Kennedy kicking his second penalty making the score 6-5 to Bangor.

The final scoring act came from Bangor Grammar School second row, Ryan Wilson. After sustained pressure and retention, Ryan crashed over in the corner after a delicate off-load from his captain, Johnny Gordon.

The try was not converted but Bangor now had an 11-5 lead which they retained until the final whistle.

The Bangor team celebrated their hard earned victory at the end of the game, a victory which ensured their place in the Quarter-Final draw for the Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup.