Unhappy return for Soper Share
Ballynahinch 0 BANBRIDGE 1STs 77October 16, 2010
Four years ago when Banbridge last met Ballynahinch in the quarter final stages of the Ulster Senior Cup, the Rifle Park men had prevailed, winning out with a seven point margin. Fast forward five seasons and the difference this time between the two sides could not have been starker with Ballynahinch winning with a significantly greater tally and no reply.
The Ballymacarn Park side managed eleven tries in total, with ten coming through their backline. In fact few could have argued against the score having been greater had the referee not blown the match up early following a dust-up between the two packs in the centre of the field. That the remaining minutes of the match were not played out was immaterial as the match as a contest was finished even before the referee had blown for half time with Bann already 49 points down at that stage.
Injuries meant that only Stephen Cowan and Neville Farr remained from the backline that took the field in the emphatic win over Connemara the week before. Those coming in included three of last season's Under 19 side; Andy Morrison who made his first start at out-half, and debutants Clarke McAllister and Andrew Kirkwood on the wings. Shandon Scott made a return from injury to slot in at full-back, while Geoff Thompson paired Cowan in the centre.
Bann's pack enjoyed parity for much of the match, with the lineout functioning well and the scrum enjoying dominance in the first half. However the inexperienced backline was too often out-powered, out-paced and outclassed by the opposition; and to Bann's discredit was too often carved open from first phase possession.
Ballynahinch's centre pairing of former Dromore player James Thompson and Stuart Morrow proved particularly potent, managing five tries in total, with Thompson getting a hat trick.
‘Hinch out-half Ryan Bambry was clinical with the boot, kicking eleven conversions out of eleven, and grabbing a try to take his tally to 27 points.
It was full-back Jonny Cullen who opened the scoring for the home side when he found space out wide after only two minutes.
Bann's pack enjoyed a ten minute period of good possession and battled their way into the Ballynahinch "22" to be awarded a penalty. However Scott pushed his attempt wide.
Ballynahinch's right winger Adam Bratton extended their lead when he broke through a number of tackles after the ball had been moved wide following a lineout.
Bambry grabbed his try midway through the first half when he exploited a mismatch in the midfield and centre Thompson got his first ten minutes later when he broke clear from the halfway.
Aaron Ferris's try was indicative of Bann's fortune with the winger gathering a spilt ball and racing 75 metres to score after a Dale Carson break had brought Bann into the ‘Hinch "22".
Stuart Morrow also exploited loose handling to race 60 metres for his first try after Bann had been in possession and Thompson added the home side's seventh before the half-time break.
Thompson's third came after the re-start, while Chris Stevenson, who had come on after half-time to shore up the home side's scrum, was in support of a Harry McAleese break to score close to the posts 15 minutes into the second half.
Ballynahinch managed further tries through Robin Harte and Morrow before the referee brought proceedings to an end.
For coach Daniel Soper, it was an unhappy return to the club where he had spent the previous four seasons, and he will be keen for his players to put the performance and result out of their minds when they return to All-Ireland League action next weekend and the tough prospect of an unbeaten and high-scoring City of Derry side at Judges Road.