Hastings lands hat-trick of tries against Larne

Larne RFC in action against Carrick in their Hawkins Cup game.

The result means Carrick won the Cup with an aggregate score of 60-33, having won by just one point in the fixture at Tom Simms Memorial Park in September.

In the 20th minute the home side took the lead with a penalty. Carrick drew level 10 miutes later with a fine Johnny Sheriff strike into the wind when Larne were penalised for offside.

On the stroke of half-time, Carrick took were in front when an excellent box kick was well followed up and Hastings gathered to beat the defence and go in at the corner to give his side an 8-3 lead.

Larne started the second half promisingly, winning a penalty at a scrum in the second minute and putting over the kick to narrow the deficit to two points but Carrick hit back immediately with an incisive break which resulted in Hastings the corner.

Nathan Greenwood extended their lead when he went over in the right hand corner and followed that up with another score.

A well-timed pass from Sheriff put Reece Hamilton in space and the centre broke a tackle to go over in the corner, putting the visitors 23-6 up.

Hastings helped make it 30-6 when he scored his third try with Sheriff adding the conversion points.

Larne conjured a try of their own with eight minutes remaining. Their scrum-half made a good break into the Carrick 22, enabling their winger to go over in the corner.

Carrick hit back a couple of minutes later when Sheriff neatly stepped the full-back, to score under the posts. The out-half then added the conversion points to bring the game to a close with Carrick deserved 37-11 victors.

On Saturday Carrick host Armagh in the Conference League. Before that on Boxing Day, there is the annual Charity Match with Carrick Warriors taking on a President’s XV at noon.

Carrick: A. McKinney, K. Jordan, J. Cullen, R. Hamilton, B. Alexander, J. Sheriff, K. Topping, E. Peacock, R. Higgins, A. Gibney, A. Kincaid (c), C. Ferris, N. Marsden, C. Rea, N. Greenwood, S. Davis, R. O’Callaghan, M. Smiley, C. Rodgers, D. Ferris, J. Mooney, N. Hastings.