That they came within striking distance was in itself an achievement given the disruption to the team brought about by an outbreak of Covid-19 in the camp.
Leading points scorer Adam Doherty had already been ruled out when the match day squad was selected on Tuesday evening. And by the time of Thursday night’s training session he had been joined on the unavailable list by team Captain Michael Cromie and regulars Andrew Morrison and Josh Cromie.
When Ulster then withdrew their three contracted players, Callum Reid, Ben Carson and Greg Jones, and calls to the IRFU requesting a cancellation failed to elicit a positive response, Coach Mark McDowell was left with the task of patching up a squad using players from the Seconds and Thirds.
With only seven players from Tuesday night’s selection fielding in their chosen places, it perhaps was no surprise when playing into the strong wind in the first half that Bann conceded four converted tries.
The Naas side, battling for a top four play-off place in Division 1B of the Energia All-Ireland League, made maximum use of the elements to keep Bann pinned in their own half for that opening period, to the extent that 35 minutes had been played before the visitors’ made their first visit to the opposition “22”.
Bann survived that early pressure until the 16th minute when scrum-half Tim Murphy finished off a lineout/maul, with Peter Osborne adding the conversion. Winger Sam Cahill registered the second touchdown, after his forwards had done the ground work, going through the phases off a lineout on Bann’s “22”.
Full-back Osborne’s unerring boot added the extras to that effort and again after centre Donal Conroy took advantage of slack defence to race in under the posts with 23 minutes played.
To add to Bann’s woes, they then lost experienced prop Stuart Cromie two minutes later, with Christian Trimble taking over. And on the half-hour No 8 Robin Sinton departed from the action, with Ryan Hughes coming off the bench.
The home side’s try bonus point was safely in the bag thanks to Fionn Higgins’ touchdown on 35 minutes.
Bann’s positive finish to the first half, during which home lock David Benn picked up a yellow card for a high tackle, offered a glimmer of hope for the embattled visitors. And when they carried that positivity into the opening exchanges after the break, intense pressure on the Naas line earned a penalty try in the 44th minute.
But Bann’s failure to use the elements to exit their “22” produced unnecessary stress and a straightforward penalty opportunity for Osborne which he converted for a 31-7 lead.
That gap opened up a further seven points when No 8 Paulie Tolofua powered over Bann’s line after his side had been given the put-in to a scrum despite seemingly having knocked on.
At 38-7 and with just 23 minutes remaining, Bann’s only hope of a league point was to score three further tries. Lock Chris Allen drove over from short range after Bann had mauled a lineout close to the try line, with Joe Finnegan’s conversion doubling his side’s points tally.
Then prop Ryan Emerson was forced to retire 65 minutes into his Firsts’ debut and John Wilson, who had started the week in the Thirds’ Crawford Cup selection as a flanker, slotted into the front row.
When Ryan Hughes finished off under the posts after Peter Cromie had pounced on a loose ball, with Finnegan again converting, Bann had seven minutes left to conjure up that important fourth try.
Naas’s sixth try, scored by flanker Ryan Casey off a front of lineout ploy, afforded Bann a last chance to kick their way back into attacking territory. But the final whistle arrived before they could get within striking range.
Navan’s unexpected win over City of Armagh saw them draw level on points with Bann at the bottom of the table. The Meath side travel to Rifle Park this Saturday for what is a crunch game for both teams. At the end of the league campaign the bottom two sides will battle it out in home and away games to decide which is relegated to Division 2A. To avoid that dogfight, one of the teams will have to finish above the other and also overhaul Malone, who currently hold a three point advantage.
That means Bann must win on Saturday and pick up another win from their three remaining games to offer a reasonable chance of avoiding the play-offs. They travel to St Mary’s on March 26th, before hosting Shannon the following weekend, before finishing their scheduled season at City of Armagh on April 9th.
McDowell said after the match that he was tremendously proud of his players. He said: “After a horrendous 72 hours in the build-up to this game, I thought the guys showed great spirit. We had three lads pitched into the AIL arena for the first time.
“Troy Pinion worked his socks off for 80 minutes, Ryan Emerson put in a solid hour before injury forced him to retire. And then John Wilson, who had been picked on the Thirds this week, took over in the front row – and the scrum never moved! Jack Myles came on at the end for his first AIL cap.
“When you consider all that, and other players playing out of position, the way we came back in the second half, well that says everything about the spirit in the club.
“The guys know we have Navan up next in a must-win game. We picked up a few knocks today but we know now that whatever team we field they’ll give it their all to keep Banbridge in Division 1A.”
Bann team: Conor Field, Dean Hayes, Joe Finnegan, Ross Cartmill, Troy Pinion, Harry Bird, Neil Kilpatrick, Ryan Emerson, Peter Cromie (Capt), Stuart Cromie, Alex Thompson, Chris Allen, Max Lyttle, Matthew Laird, Robin Sinton. Replacements:- John Wilson, Christian Trimble, Ryan Hughes, Alex Weir, Aaron Kennedy, Jack Myles.
1.
Ryan Hughes on his way to scoring for Bann in their AIL game at Naas. Picture: John Mullan
2.
Alex Thompson soars highest to claim lineout ball for Bann. Picture: John Mullan
3.
Christian Trimble carries strongly against Naas. Picture: John Mullan
4.
Aaron Kennedy looks for a gap in the Naas lines. Picture: John Mullan