BALLYCLARE FOURTHS WIN McCAMBLEY CUP AFTER PULSATING RAVENHILL FINAL
Ballyclare 4th Xv made history on Friday night at Ravenhill when they edged out a very strong Belfast Harlequins 4thXV 26-22 in thrilling McCambley Cup final which proved to be a pulsating affair even for the neutral observer. This is believed to be the first time that the trophy has been brought back to the Cloughan clubhouse even though three finals were contested by Clare teams as far back as 1969 and as recently as 1999 but without success. On the night the Clare side had more experience with several players on the wrong side of 40 against a young,fit and pacey Quins outfit but the great unbeaten record of this Clare side was sorely tested and it was remakable that the older side more than stuck to the task in the second half and might have won more convincingly but for an inordinate number of penalties against them.
BAllyclare 4THS 26 HARLEQUINS 4ths 22
The Clare side had some advantage of a diagonal wind in the first half and from the start John Wasson showed he was on form with a deep kick to the opposite 22 but his team was caught off side at the ensuing ruck and his opposite number McCausland made a strong attacking surge upfield.The Clare were penalised and Quins fly half Scott kicked to touch only for Watson to clear to half way.A powerful tackle from Lamont halted a Quins attackand Wasson cleared under pressure. Campbell took play up to the opposition 22 as the Clare made their first real attacking ploy with a great run from Watson and Clarke was held up close to the Quins line. The city side were deemed to be off side and Wasson cooly slotted over the penalty to go 3-0 up.Then after Campbell had cleared to the 22 Quins counter attacked at pace with a break by prop Montgomery which was finished off by Scott for the opening try not converted to edge 5-3 ahead. A great run by Wasson made ground and the Clare pack drove on with prop Stevie Crawford getting the touchdown in the corner,conversion wide. Minutes later the pack drove up the other side and Artie Campbell outfoxed the defence to score a fine try which Wasson converted and it seemed a comfortable lead at 15-5. But the opposition countered with another powerful midfield break with centre and captain Watson to go in fodr atry that was converted by Scott. Then another pacey midfield break gave winger Gallagher the chance to score and a superb wide angled conversion from Scott put his team into a 19-15 lead and it was a case of game on in a big way.Play was halted for some time as Ballyclare`s Bruce Logan was treated for an injured finger and a late penaly from Wasson left the score at the interval 19-18 to Harlequins. At this stage many of the Clare supporters were concerned that the Belfast team would make use of both the wind and their pace to do damage in the second half.
Gareth Smith had replaced Reynolds and then John McDonald took over at fly half. An early kick ahead from Lamont forced Quins off side and the reliable Wasson gave his team a 21-19 lead from the penalty. A Quins attack was halted by a Smith tackle but Scott kicked them up to the 22 and then slotted over a penalty for a narrow 22-21 lead. The Clare pack was now driving well in the loose and strong in the set pieces with Moore on at prop. Following more good work in the loose from the aging Fletcher,Gaston and Logan, Watson broke to the 22. The pack took it on towards the line and from a ruck the ever active Gaston got the vital try with Wasson just wide with the attempted conversion and it was now 26-22 to the Clare. next a Gaston break had support from Watson to keep the pressure on Harlequins as Noel Smith replaced Lyle Andrew and proved to be outstanding with great covering and tackling.Quins had chances from a series of penalties but great defence organised by Lamont and strong running from McDonald and Barnett in midfield allowed Ballyclare to counter and despite a torrid finish from Quins the bravery of the Clare pack took the team up to full time on the attack. Man of the match must have been difficult to measure but Cavan Watson and Noel Smith along with Nial Lamont all stood out in a superb team effort. It was fitting that the cup was presented to skipper Neil Reynolds by Ulster Branch President himself a Ballyclare man Laurence Caldwell in the Stand after the match The Fourths have another massive test on Saturday with the final of the Ravenhill Cup against a good Cookstown 1st XV possibly at Randalstown.
Ballyclare 4thXV-John Wasson;Trevor Clarke,Nial Lamont,Stuart Barnett, Neil Reynolds(Gareth Smith);Artie Campbell (John McDonald),Cavan Watson;Darren M ontgomery (Terry Moore),Jonny Barnett,Stevie Crawford;Trevor Fletcher(Alastair Breen),Steven Wright;Lyle Andrew (Noel Smith),Bruce Logan,Harry Gaston Referee-David Neill; Touch Judges-John Adams and Davy Brown.
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