Bann Fourths extend their lead with win

With Ireland’s home game and the early kick-off creating shortfalls in the normal team squad, Bann Fourths’ manager Mark Fisher called up three players from Banbridge Academy’s First XV.

Marcus McNeill and Ben Bradshaw lined out in the back row with Will Russell slotting in at centre.

And all three played significant roles in what was a fine team performance.

Bann received the kick-off and were quickly out of the blocks with some excellent carrying by Scott Magowan, Captain Karl Heslip and McNeill.

Scrum-half Colin Hamilton kicked a sweet ‘50:22’ to put Bann within a few metres of the try line.

Elliot McCormick’s darts were spot on, the catch perfect and Bann mauled to the line where hooker McCormick touched down for the first try with Jordan Mullan adding the extras.

This seemed to spur the Instonians lads to up their game and start running ball back at the visitors.

But with ferocious tackling from McNeill, Ben Davidson, Scott Magowan and Hugo Bertholon in particular knocking them back, they had to settle for a penalty and a 3-7 scoreline.

Bann kicked off and stayed in the Instonians “22” for the rest of the first half and when another lineout was executed perfectly, McCormick was again the man to touch down with the narrowly failing conversion attempt leaving Bann 3-12 up at the break.

The second half was a real toe-to-toe tussle between two well-matched sides.

Bann half-backs Hamilton and Mullan exercised great control, and it took all their game management skills to contain an Instonians side which, with the win at their backs, threw everything into their efforts to get back into the game.

That culminated in a final five minutes when they were encamped in and around Bann’s five metre line, hammering and hammering, but ultimately failing to break through.

The visitors’ determination to keep them out was marked by a well organised rush defence and a series of thumping tackles which assistant manager Kris Eadie said was a “real credit to the players”.

This was the perfect start for new manager Mark Fisher and Assistant Kris Eadie, who had only taken over the reins of the side at the beginning of the week.

Fisher was full of praise for the young team, claiming it will only get better.

“That was a scratch team that was pulled together,” he admitted after the game.

“Take young Elliot McCormick – well he’s spent all season to date on the 5ths and 6ths and he was pulled in at the last minute. But what a performance he put in, getting those two scores off the back of mauls.

“We played with basically a front five and no second rows. But in some ways that was an advantage because what we missed in height at the lineout and weight in the scrums we more than made up with extra pace around the park.

“The main lineout jumper was Marcus McNeill and he did a great job, not just there but all round the pitch.

“The whole of the second half, apart from a few opportunities where they stopped us, we were under the cosh as they used the wind to their advantage.

“For us to keep them to nil in that second half was brilliant. It really was an 18-man performance.

“Karl Heslip did a great job as captain – his calm demeanour was exactly what was needed and in his dealings with the referee he did really well.”