Banbridge Rugby Club - Northern Ireland

However the unavailability of a large number of players throughout the club gave the XV that fielded an unfamiliar look. Bann started brightly with ball in hand, and as the game progressed it was the backs that looked keener with good runs by Calum Boland and Adam Waugh. But the early work came undone in the 7th minute in comical fashion, when the home winger saw a "22" drop-out bounce at an angle straight into his arms for an unopposed run to the line.

After 19 minutes Bann fell further behind, this time when they conceded a ball against the head in the scrum and failed to deal with a couple of surges, resulting in the ‘Dee prop strolling over for a converted try.

Bann picked up their game at this stage, and the forwards at last began to string some phases together. On two occasions the backs produced overlaps, only to see unlucky knock-ons as they went close. Eventually their persistence paid off on the stroke of half time. Two good bursts in the centre of the park from centres Hugo Harbinson and Peter Irvine got momentum going. Albert Finney received the ball and produced a great catch off his own deft chip over the defence, and then Adam Waugh joined the line to run under the posts from the "22". Clarke McAllister added the extras leaving the half time score 12-7.

Instead of this spurring Bann back into the game after a lacklustre team effort in the first half, they went 17-7 behind just four minutes after the re-start. Again the score came after a period of good Bann aggression, but when the move broke down, poor tackling was to prove their undoing as a ‘Dee back was able to sprint in from 40 metres.

Ten minutes later the home team scored a further try, this time when they drove across the line from a lineout. Although Bann had looked dangerous on a couple of occasions at this stage, intensity was lacking, especially from the forwards, resulting in any ground gained being immediately forfeited.

The home side scored another try, this time when an attempted clearance kick spun off the head of a Bann forward directly to the ‘Dee winger who fell over the line from two metres out. Donaghadee ended the scoring with 10 minutes to go with another try after a drive at a lineout, leaving the score 32-7.

Donaghadee thoroughly deserved their win, but Bann must feel that it was down to their lack of team support for each other when the groundwork had been completed. This allowed `Dee the opportunity to keep the scoreboard regularly ticking over, forcing Bann to take too many chances.