Stand Up for the Ballymena Bears
Friday night 12th April and the Ulster team were at home playing the Newport Dragons but more importantly the Ballymena Bears were playing the Donaghadee Seaside Sharkies at half time on the hallowed turf.
The night began early at 6pm with all 12 of the selected Bears team meeting up just outside the Onslow Parade gate to Ravenhill. Once in and briefed by Ulster Rugby staff the team was shown down to their seats. Supporter flags and voices in fine form, the Ulster team took to the pitch and soon tore into the Dragons. As time and the Ulster score marched on, the Bears moved down out of the stand to prepare themselves for taking to the half time pitch. Boots and tag belts soon applied, the excitement truly was building and everyone from the Bears, Sharkies, Seahorses and Taggers eagerly awaited the referee blowing his half time whistle. With another try and conversion just scored by the Ulster team the whistle went, time for the 4 special needs tag rugby teams to run on.
The Bears quickly formed up against their opposition the Seaside Sharkies and the fun began. With only 6 minutes to play, the teams were straight into the action and each set off at a frenetic pace. First honours went to the Bears with Oli Byrne keen to show his speed down the wing. The Sharkies answered and all things were equal entering the 3rd minute. This time the ball passed out to Bethany Meneary who blitzed up the pitch cutting through the Sharkies defence scoring her first. Excellent support and defensive play by Johnny Duncan (captain), Andrew McDowell and Frank Stewart couldn’t prevent the Sharkies getting their second but a fine pass from Harry Cairns to Oli gave the Bears the lead again. Another each by Oli and Bethany made it 5, but the Sharkies were by no means out the game. A superb run down the wing, try line bound, by the Sharkies was only just stopped by a flying run across the pitch by Oli who managed to rip off a tag just inches from the Bears line. Margaret Hill, Jake Anderson and David Wilson kept the defence going really well and Ethan Jackson made a superb break out cutting run down the side line only to be similarly manoeuvred out of play by the Sharkies just feet short of their line. Liam and Jordan Cain ran well throughout the game and closed down the mid field expertly, the Sharkies though had the closing word with a dynamic try starting well in their own half way and cutting through not 2, not 3 but 4 Bears! exciting stuff and with the final whistle blown a dramatic end to the game. Stand Up for the Ballymena Bears!
Ballymena Bears provides tag rugby for people with learning disabilities, they meet every other Sunday at Eaton Park 10am to 11am. Details of who they are and how you can get involved are available on the Ballymena RFC web site or facebook/ballymenabears, new players are very welcome to come along and give it a go.
