A trip to the much improved Omagh 1stxv at Mellon Park was always going to be a tricky fixture for the Dee 1st xv. After Tuesday nights high scoring defeat to CIYMS the Dee side needed the maximum five points to maintain their challenge for promotion. With Ballyclare securing five points in their home defeat of Grosvenor on Friday night both teams along with officials and spectators observed one minutes silence in memory of Constable Ronan Kerr who had tragically lost his life in a terrorist bombing in Omagh the previous Saturday. Omagh kicked off with the wind advantage only for the Dee forwards to take play up to the Omagh twenty two. A deft kick and favourable bounce allowed wing forward Chris Hamilton to score the Dee’s first try.
Andrew Monson was unable to add the conversion. The Dee side continue to dominate the play with the stout Omagh defence keeping them at bay. With out half Paul Blewitt kicking astutely to the corners the second Dee try followed with back row forwards Chris Hamilton and Craig McCoy taking play to the Omagh line. Captain Chris Good picked up and fed scrum half Alastair Lockhart who darted through the gap to score a try with Monson adding the points to increase the Dee lead to 12-0 after twenty minutes. In their first attack a catch and drive from a five metre lineout almost produced a score only for the Dee defence to keep them out with Lockhart again breaking the Omagh cover to take play to the Omagh ten metre line. With Omagh conceding a penalty Blewitt again kicked to the Omagh twenty two. Once again Lockhart was first to react at the lineout and break through the Omagh cover from twenty metres to score a fine try for Monson to again add the points to increase the lead to 19-0. With the Dee side varying their game Richard Millar playing in the unaccustomed position of left winger continued to pose problems for the Omagh defence with his direct running. With half time approaching Millar almost stole in for the bonus point fourth try from his ten metre line only to be stopped just short of the Omagh line. The referees whistle for half time left the Dee side comfortably 19 -0 in front.
The second half started with the Omagh team dominating the play. Within eight minutes they had reduced the deficit to 19 -7 with a well worked try by their centre with second row Stefan Hamilton adding the points. With out half Paul Blewitt struggling with an ankle injury Andy Monson had to move into out half with Blewitt switching to full back. Omagh continued to pile on the pressure with Stefan Hamilton converting three penalties to narrow the Dee lead to 19 -16. With the referee’s patience running out at the break down, Dee wing forward Craig McCoy was sent to the sin bin. To add to the Dee’s difficulties scrum half Alastair lockhart was struggling with the reoccurrence of a leg injury. With no replacements allowed in the Qualifying two leagues Blewitt and Lockhart were left with no alternative but to carry on playing. Despite the numerical difficulties and fatigue setting in from their mid week match the Dee players dug deep with Lockhart denied a try by a foot in touch short of the Omagh line. With McCoy’s return the Dee side mounted a final effort that led to penalty. Harper’s kick to the corner allowed them to secure possession at the lineout for veteran second row forward Davy Thompson to see a big gap at the front of the lineout. The big man quietly strode through for that vital fourth try with Monson unable to add the points. With the Dee lead increased to 24 – 16 the Omagh team would require two scores to overturn the Dee lead. With minutes remaining the Dee defence held out for a richly deserved win. From 1 – 15 the Dee players gave everything particularly in defence where the back row of Stuart Hutchison, Craig McCoy and Chris Hamilton were particularly prominent. Scrum half Alastair Lockhart once again demonstrated his talent with two fine opportunist tries. The two players who epitomised the Dee’s will to win this match particularly with their massive defensive effort was the performance of the two centres Bobby Harper and his partner Billy Allen. Well done guys.
Dee team 1. Chris Good (Capt), 2. Gareth Gordon, 3. Phil Collins, 4. Richard Martindale, 5. Davy Thompson, 6. Craig McCoy, 7. Chris Hamilton, 8. Stuart Hutchison, 9. Alastair Lockhart, 10. Paul Blewitt, 11. Richard Millar, 12. Bobby Harper, 13. Billy Allen, 14. Chris Woods, 15. Andrew Monson.
With CIYMS in pole position to win Qualifying Two the race is now on between Donaghadee and Ballyclare to secure that all important runners up place that will guarantee promotion to Qualifying One next season. League positions are as follows
CIYMS played 15 total 65 points
Ballyclare played 16 total 56 points
Donaghadee played 15 total 56 points.
Remaining fixtures for CIYMS Home Enniskillen , Home Donaghadee, Away Ballyclare.
Ballyclare Home to CIYMS and Donaghadee
Donaghadee Home to Lisburn ( Wed 13th April ko 7.30pm) Away Ballyclare 23rd April. CIYMS TBC.
