BANN EXIT CUP TO RESILIENT ARDS
BANBRIDGE 5THs 0 Ards 4  10 
January 10, 2009

Bann Fifths seemed to have set themselves up for a second win in this season’s McCambley Cup competition when they held Ards Fourths to 10 points into a strong wind in the first half.

Indeed for much of the first period it looked as if the visitors, a renowned cup side, would have only a three point lead to defend, as the locals’ defensive line was holding out against repeated onslaughts.
But seven minutes before the break, the Ards No 8 picked up from a scrum on Bann’s “22”, slipped a tackle and held off two more defenders on a run to the try line. The conversion took the tally into double figures but it still seemed fragile in the conditions.

But if Bann’s defensive qualities impressed before the break, Ards proved to be even more resilient under pressure. Bann’s kicks to the corners posed a threat early in the second half, but as the game progressed, Ards came to dominate possession more and more as their wily pack re-cycled repeatedly to starve the home side of the ball.

Bann’s cause was not helped by their inclination to infringe at the ruck situation and with the opposition helping themselves to a high level of turnover ball, the likelihood of the locals hauling back the deficit became increasingly remote as the game progressed.

Captain Derek Moorhead led, as ever, from the front and he got great support from props Andy Armstrong and Neil McKinney. But after their first round defeat of Ballynahinch Sevenths, this was a very disappointing result for the Rifle Park side.