McKinney and Hastings land tries for Carrick II

The home side was pretty much on top throughout and the final score did not really reflect their dominance.

After scoring two tries in the first quarter, Carrick then let at least three further chances go abegging and, with their defence well on top, didn’t show the patience needed to bring them further scores.

After a few wobbles early on, the Carrick scrum was solid, as was the line-out, and the back row trio of Ross Crymble, Patterson and O’Callaghan dominated the break-down.

Number eight Crymble was impressive as a ball carrier, as were front-rowers Robbie Williams and Richard Higgins.

In the backs, Kyle Jordan and Johnny Sheriff looked threatening throughout, and the latter put in a number of blistering runs which, with better ball retention, could have led to tries.

In cold and breezy conditions, there was a bright start by both sides but it was Carrick who scored first with a penalty converted by Adam Kendall after 10 minutes.

Two minutes later, the home side got their first try when Crymble made ground off the back of a scrum on the Carrick 10-metre line, offloaded to Kyle Jordan, who in turn fed Aaron McKinney and the scrum-half beat the Ballymoney cover defence for an unconverted score.

With 20 minutes on the clock, Ballymoney registered their first and only points from a penalty just inside the Carrick 22.

From the re-start, however, Carrick went further ahead when the back row won the ball back from Ballymoney, Craig Patterson made ground deep into their half and, from quickly re-cycled ball, Neil Hastings went over in the corner. Again, the try was not converted but Carrick now had a 13-3 lead which they held comfortably until half-time.

While the first half had provided some good play, and suggested the potential of the young Carrick side, the second produced some untidy and error-strewn rugby from both sides, with Carrick throwing away a number of chances.

They were perhaps fortunate that, apart from one occasion early in the second half, their opponents never really looked like scoring thanks, in part, to excellent defence from the home side.

Carrick II: A. Kendall; K. Jordan, N. Hastings, J. Sheriff, C. Brown; L. Whitall, A. McKinney; J. Graham, R. Higgins (c.), R. Williams, D. Smith, D. Ferris, B. O’Callaghan, C. Patterson, R. Crymble.

Carrick’s 1st XV return to action on Saturday (October 19) when they face Randalstown at Tom Simms Memorial Park.