Although Coleraine had only one league game under their belt prior to Saturday’s game against Donaghadee at Donaldson Park local commentators considered them to be contenders in this years Junior Section League One.
Donaghadee’s 34-3 victory against the Bannsiders will in no way take them out of contention but must surely raise more questions about just how serious a force the Dee team can be in this league, this season.
Coleraine started brightly and clearly came to utilise their youthful looking backline at every opportunity. The only clear try scoring opportunity that Coleraine created during this early pressure came in the 10th minute when their speedy right winger looked like he was going to finish off a neat back move only to be thwarted by an excellent tackle by Donaghadee fullback, Billy Allen.
On the 18th minute after good play in the loose by Chris Good Donaghadee had the opportunity to put the first points on the board but Santos’s effort drifted wide on the RHS upright.
On the 25th minute Dee scrum half Alistair Lockhart was sin binned for questioning the referee after Donaghadee were penalised for ‘holding on’ after they looked to run the ball from deep in their own 22 area. Coleraine kicked the subsequent penalty to give the away side a 3-0 lead
Bizarrely it was during the period of Donaghdee being reduced to fourteen men that they started to enjoy some greater periods of possession and Coleraine where found defending their line for the first time.
It was not however until Alistair Lockhart returned to the pitch that the home sides dominance was rewarded with a try from Paul Hamilton on 37 minutes. The powerful and physical Keith McIlwaine who has been a tremendous addition to the squad this season offloaded to Kenny McCombe who in turn popped the ball to Hamilton who although he still had work to do, was strong enough to power his way over the crowded try line, to give Dee, after Santos’s successful conversion, a 7-3 lead.
From the resulting restart Donaghadee reclaimed the ball courtesy of Kalava Aualiitia and after a clever kick in behind the Coleraine backline by Dee skipper Bobby Harpur Donaghadee where back on the attack. As the clock went into injury time Donaghadee went through double figures of phases each time getting slowly closer to the try line with Lockhart, McCombe and Good all getting a sniff of the line only to be held up just short. As the referee signaled for a Dee penalty he give Dee a chance to take advantage in open play and it was during this phase Paul Blewitt found Ricardo Santos who came in off the right wing and just as it looked like he too was going to be stopped short he managed to escape the grip of his tackler and score Donaghadee’s second try in three minutes. Santos converted to give Dee a 14-3 lead and give the coaching team of Martindale and Blewitt the task of tweaking their Half time team talk after 14 points in the last three minutes of play.
Half Time Donaghadee 14 – Coleraine 3
Donaghadee started the second half as strongly as they finished the first and although Coleraine remained a threat going forward Donaghadee’s defence stayed strong. With the direct route not reaping rewards Coleraine started to kick behind the Dee backline but these efforts where fielded with confidence, one up and under in particular being gathered by Billy Allen as he soared above the oncoming line of blue to collect the high ball, only one phase of play but one that summed up the determination of Donaghadee to collectively deny Coleraine any opportunity to build up any momentum going forward.
Santos extended Donaghadee’s lead in the 50th minute with a penalty after great work by the Donaghdee pack in open play.
On 55 minutes Donaghadee lost Keith McIlwaine who had been Donaghadee’s most notable attacking performer to injury after a typical charge forward resulted in a knock to his knee.
On 60 minutes Santos made it 4 from 6 kicks from the most challenging kick of the day to the delight of the home crowd who’s team now had a 17 point lead with 20 minutes to play.
It may appear that this report covers few Coleraine attacks however in the second half in particular Donaghadee simply halted any Coleraine insurgence. This was no mean feat and although Donaghadee scored four tries for the third time in three league games it was their defence performance that will again be remembered against a Coleraine who enjoyed their fair share of possession.
In the 70th minute Coleraine, desperate to add to their 25th minute penalty forced the ball wide and as their inside centre got ready to receive, experienced Donaghadee fly half Paul Blewiit beat him to the ball and with no full back at home ran 40 meters to score under the posts.B lewitt came into the Dee side at the same time that Ryan Giggs was just making his way into the Manchester United set up, 18 years ago, and although he has not lifted the same honours as the Welsh man he continues to have a similar impact in getting the very best of the younger players in the team around him, a try well deserved.
As the clock ticked down it looked likely that the all important bonus point try was likely to elude Donaghadee with Santos going close, only for his try to be disallowed for a forward pass and Richard Miller also going close, however adjudged to have knocked forward whilst crossing the line after doing very well to collect an intelligent chip ahead from ‘playmaker’ Schofield.
With two minutes to go Lockhart took a quick penalty and in typical fashion put the head down and with legs pumping carried both him and the Coleraine tackler over the line to touch down from Donaghadee’s bonus point try. Santos kicked to make the scores 34-3.
Full Time Donaghadee 34 – Coleraine 3
Donaghadee’s performance last Saturday was as rounded as any performance this season and continues their one hundred percent league record.
Their comfortable win was just reward for their dominance in set pieces, sustained first time tackling and ability to have patience in breaking down a good Coleraine team
Scoops Man of the Match
Bobby Harpur and Nigel Barker where notable for their tough tackling efforts in the middle of the park, as was Richard Martindale for his strength and work rate in open play – however this week’s stand out performance goes to Keith McIlwaine who during his 55 minutes on the pitch was instrumental in Donaghadee’s attacking performance.
Donaghadee Team vs. Coleraine
Billy Allen (Marcus Gibson),Ricardo Santos, Bobby Harpur,Nigel Barker ,Richard Miller,Paul Blewitt,Alistair Lockhart,Chris Schofield,Gareth Gordon,Chris Good, Kalave Aualiitia, Richard Martindale, Paul Hamilton, Kenny McCombe, Keith McIlwaine (Stuart Hutchinson)
