Ballyclare 52 – 12 Ballymena
Match Gallery
In a tough match at Ballymena RFC, the visitors, Ballyclare RFC, demonstrated their experience and cohesion with a commanding 52-12 victory.
**First Half:**
Ballyclare took the initiative early on, gaining the lead after 20 minutes with a well-executed try. Ballymena responded quickly, with Connor Smyth crossing the line just five minutes later after a fantastic period of team play, which saw the ball seamlessly move through multiple hands. Smyth’s try brought the score to 7-5, but this was as close as Ballymena would get for the rest of the match. Ballyclare, a settled squad with years of experience playing together, took control of the game and ran in three more tries before the halftime whistle, stretching their lead to a comfortable 28-5. Ballymena, playing with several new combinations and missing key front-line players, struggled to match the cohesion and intensity of their opponents.
**Second Half:**
The second half saw Ballyclare continue their dominant performance, adding three more tries to their tally. Ballymena’s defensive efforts were further hampered by yellow cards for Rodger McBurney and new signing Alexander Clarke, which left them with a numerical disadvantage during crucial periods of the game. Despite a spirited effort, Ballymena could not prevent Ballyclare from extending their lead, with the visitors finishing the match 52-12 victors.
While the scoreline was heavily in Ballyclare’s favour, Ballymena showed flashes of promise, particularly in the lead-up to Smyth’s try, despite their inexperience and the absence of key players. With time and the return of their full-strength squad, Ballymena will look to build on this experience and improve with the start of the All Ireland league only a couple of weeks away..
Team:
1. S Agnew
2. M Lamont
3. J Taggart
4. D Milford
5. J Browne
6. A Chesney
7. J McClean
8. C Smyth
9. O Smith
10. T Ferguson
11. M McLean
12. D Vercoe Rogers
13. R McBurney
14. B Neely
15. S McKay
16. C Mustoe
17. J Mark
18. A Clarke
19. A Robson
20. M Norris
