RUGBY: Donaghadee demolished by rampant Coleraine

In the Kukri Ulster Rugby Championship game Coleraine ran in 12 tries with no reply.

It was a well organised performance from Richard Boyd’s men and they will be hoping for more to come.

Speaking after the game captain Mikey Poskitt said: “There were big expectations before the game and I am really proud that we came up with a great result. The forwards all manned up and produced some really strong carries and the backs finished them off.

“Success breeds success and we want to keep that momentum going. We face a tough game next week, away to Armagh2s in the Conference League, and we will be working hard in training to prepare for that one.”

The ‘Cookstown’ sponsored Coleraine side started out with great purpose and immediately took control of proceedings. Two minutes in Coleraine captain Poskitt claimed the first three points from a penalty. Five minutes in and after a concerted attack from the home side Brian Hughes broke through the defence to score and Poskitt picked up the extras.

The next score also went to Hughes, a neat sidestep creating the space to score under the posts. Poskitt was on target. Stevie Callaghan got the touch in the next converted score after a sparkling break on the wing from Poskitt. The pack got in on the act when Michael Ferguson made a typically forceful surge through the last defenders, again for a converted try.

The try of the game was next with scrumhalf Rhys McAuley making a great break and slipping the ball behind to the supporting Alan Clarke. He secured the ball and set off at an incredible pace to score in the corner. The conversion drifted just wide. 36-0

Next up, after the forwards made good ground the ball went to Callaghan for his second try, again converted.

The final score of the first half saw Poskitt making the initial break on the wing before popping to Bokkie Carstens to score. The conversion was secured and the score at the break was.

From the restart Coleraine continued the pressure and within minutes Callaghan went in for his third try, unconverted. Niall Irwin got his name on the score sheet with a great sprint to the corner, converted. Steven Dickey made a forceful run down the wing before passing to Carstens for his second, unconverted. And it was Carstens to score the next as well, ten minutes later, again in the corner, leaving a difficult angle for Poskitt and the conversion drifted just wide. 77-0

The whistle blew to close proceedings and Coleraine happily accepted the bonus point win.