Portadown battle bravely at Ballynahinch

From the outset, Portadown started brightly and immediately put Hinch under pressure. The hosts conceded an early penalty, and Niall Davison made no mistake from the tee to give Portadown a deserved 0–3 lead. Despite the early dominance from Portadown, Ballynahinch began to find their rhythm and worked the ball wide to cross in the corner, edging ahead 5–3.

Moments later, the home side capitalised on a scrum close to the line, with their number 8 picking from the base to score and extend the lead to 10–3. Portadown showed great resolve in response, earning a penalty deep in Hinch territory.

Opting for the corner, the visitors went through several phases of powerful carries before Jamie Marshall crashed over from close range. Davison’s conversion levelled the scores at 10–10 going into the break.

Ballynahinch started the second half on the front foot, punishing a missed Portadown lineout to make ground upfield. Their pack continued to press and eventually forced their way over for another try, moving the score to 17–10. Portadown defended bravely as Hinch enjoyed a lengthy spell of possession, but a penalty for offside allowed the home side to stretch their lead further to 20–10.

In the closing stages, Portadown showed tremendous character and determination, applying sustained pressure deep in the Hinch 22. Ballynahinch’s discipline faltered, with two yellow cards shown for repeated infringements near their own line. The pressure eventually told when Marshall Clint finished well out wide to narrow the gap to 20–15. Despite Portadown’s late surge, time ran out before they could complete what would have been a well-deserved comeback.

Portadown Scorers: Tries: Jamie Marshall, Marshall Clint, Conversion: Niall Davison, Penalty: Niall Davison

Final Score: 45–45

What a game from start to finish! The Portadown Ladies delivered a performance full of grit, determination, and heart in a thrilling, end-to-end battle against a strong Ophir side.

Both teams traded blows from the first whistle to the last, producing a game that had everything — pace, power, and plenty of drama. Under the guidance of their new coaching team — Az, Adam, and Matt — the Portadown squad have been working hard in training, and that progress was clear to see.

The team played with confidence, structure, and real unity across the park. The match was tight throughout, with neither side ever managing to pull too far ahead. Portadown struck early through Sophie, setting the tone with a well-finished try after a series of quick phases. Jen and Jenna followed up with strong runs that broke through Ophir’s defence, both crossing the line twice each. Holly added two more brilliant tries, showing great pace and awareness out wide.

Jen also made a massive defensive contribution early in the game, holding up what looked like a certain Ophir try to keep the visitors off the board. Catia made a fantastic break from halfway, only to be brought down by a determined Ophir defence. Rachel Totten impressed with a number of surging runs and support play, while Cassie orchestrated the attack superbly, slotting five conversions and narrowly missing a sixth as it clipped the crossbar.

Ophir responded every time Portadown scored, matching them try for try. The visitors’ physicality at the breakdown and pace out wide kept the home side on their toes, and both defences were tested to their limits.

As the game entered its final minutes, Portadown led by seven, but Ophir refused to back down — scoring a late try and converting to level the game 45–45. It was a fitting end to a contest that had been neck-and-neck from the very start. Despite the draw, it was a hugely positive performance from Portadown.

The squad showed composure under pressure, teamwork in attack, and resilience in defence — all signs of a team on the rise. A brilliant display of skill, strength, and spirit from the Portadown Ladies, and an exciting glimpse of what’s to come this season.

Full-time: Portadown Ladies 45 – 45 Ophir Women

Another fantastic minis training session this Saturday morning — great energy, smiles all around, and plenty of rugby fun! If your child would like to get involved, we’d love to welcome them along. Our minis section (P1–P7) trains every Saturday from 9:00–10:30am, and all abilities are welcome — whether they’ve played before or are completely new to rugby. Come along, give it a try.