After a week’s break from rugby Donaghadee 1st XV returned to action last Saturday with a trip to Shaws Bridge to play Instonians 2nd XV in the second round of the Millar McCall Wylie Junior Cup.
Donaghadee’s eight try victory secures their place in the Quarter final draw and will give the unbeaten team renewed confidence as they return to league action at home to Ballymoney this weekend.
Donaghadee’s set pieces, that have been performed so consistently all season, started strongly in miserable conditions in South Belfast. After taking territorial advantage very early in the game Donaghadee took only 5minutes to get their first try of the day scored by Alistair Lockhart after good work from the Donaghadee pack, including debutant Andrew Faulkner who started the game strongly. Ricardo Santos converted.
Donaghadee’s scrum continued to dominate deep into Instonians 22 and only failed to add to their early score by what appeared to be an over zealousness to push the scrums over the try line at pace. Dee No.8 Richard Miller instilled a little control into Donaghadee’s third scrum in quick succession and touched the ball down from the base of the scrum to give Dee a 12-3 lead. Santos missed the conversion.
On the 22nd minute Donaghadee had an identical opportunity to score from a scrum and from 5 meters out the pack accepted the opportunity and Miller got his second of the day to give Donaghadee a 17-3 advantage.
The early Donaghadee tries where very much team efforts however the fourth try of the day was very much a solo effort. Instonians attempted clearance kick from deep in their own half did not find touch but found Donagahdee’s scrum half Lockhart and although the defence appeared to have reorganised, the Dermot O’Leary lookalike showed he had the X-Factor by powering his way through the defence, side stepping the last man of defence to score. Santos converted to give Donaghadee a 24-6 Half-Time advantage.
Instonians 6 – Donaghadee 24
Due to injuries to two of Instonians front row players uncontested scrums where forced upon the game from 28 minutes which took a competitive edge off the game. Although Instonians effort could not be faulted, two early second half tries from Miller and a terrific try from Kalava Aualiitia, made the second half all about damage limitation for Instonians.
Donaghadee went on to score two additional tries before the referee ended the contest after 68 minutes played. The first of these tries came from an excellent take in the middle of the park from Billy Allen who after a terrific counter attack of his own fed the ball to Richard Miller who ran at a fantastic angle that split two defenders and meant that Miller did not need the men on his outside and scored his fourth and best of the day.
Donaghadee’s final score of the day came on 65 minutes when direct from the restart Paul Blewitt released early ball to Dee skipper Bobby Harpur who after attacking the Instomians backline was able to feed Chris McGivern on the left wing. This young winger staring only his second game of the season used his direct running style to unnerve his opposite number and offered a timely off load to the oncoming Nigel Barker who showed great pace to finish this move using the grease on the wet pitch to slide the final 5 yards. Santos made it 5 from 8 to give Donaghadee a comprehensive 50-6 full time win.
Donaghadee Team vs. Instonians
Billy Allen, Ricardo Santos, Bobby Harpur Nigel Barker ,Chris McGivern,Paul Blewitt,Alistair Lockhart,Chris Schofield,Gareth Gordon,Chris Good, Kalave Aualiitia,David Thompson, Andrew Faulkner, Kenny McCombe, Richard Miller
Weekend Fixtures – 23rd October 2011
Donaghadee 1st XV vs. Ballymoney at Donaldson Park (2.30 KO)
