18s PROGRESS IN BOWMAN CUP
Portadown  12  BANBRIDGE Under 18s 24
March 21, 2009

The Gordon’s Chemist sponsored Under 18’s travelled to Portadown on Saturday morning to play in the second round of the Ulster (C E Bowman) Cup.

With hooker Jonny Murphy away on international duty, Ryan Ringland filled the No 2 shirt but the rest of the team had a familiar look to it. Bann took just three minutes to register their first try with centre Chris Leathem crashing through to score between the posts. Mark Doherty added the conversion.

A lack of discipline gave Portadown a penalty in a kickable area which they duly converted. From the re-start the home side gathered the ball and tried kicking to touch, but big lock Ross Semple charged it down, re-gathered and scored, yet again under the posts. Doherty’s straightforward conversion brought his total for the season to 100 points.

More indiscipline occurred and Portadown kicked penalties on 23 and 30 minutes to reduce the deficit. With the referee continuing to penalise the Bann line-out, Portadown took advantage to score a dubious try right on half-time, leaving the teams tied on 14-14.

Within three minutes of the resumption Doherty had kicked his side back into the lead with a penalty. The lack of games was showing as some of the team were tiring and most of the second half was played in the middle third of the pitch.

The Bann pack started driving at the opposition, taking play within five metres of the Portadown line. Prop Josh Neilly picked and drove over to score his team’s third try. Doherty added the extras to leave the final score 14-24 in favour of Bann.

With the league over, Bann’s full attention is now focused on the two cup quarter finals in which they are involved, namely the Nutty-Krust, hosted by Portadown, and the Ulster Cup, with an appearance at Ravenhill to wind up the season clearly in their sights.

The players and coaches would also like to take this opportunity to wish hooker Jonny Murphy well as he travels to France with the Ireland Under-18 (Youth) squad for the FIRA European Tournament at Easter.