Click your browser's Back button at any time to return to the Matches page at the point you left it.

League Match: Donaghadee 32 - 0 Carrick (15/01/00)

"DONAGHADEE DEFEAT CARRICK AGAIN

Having had a week to enjoy their 96-0 Towns' Cup win, the First Fifteen took the field last Saturday against League opponents Carrick with mixed feelings. It is a long time since Donaghadee failed to win this fixture, whether home or away, but it is also the case that each and every game between the two clubs is hotly contested, and the result can never be predicted with any confidence. The Newtownards Road pitch was in excellent order for the game, and an entertaining display of running rugby was expected by the customary large crowd.

The opening minutes demonstrated that the two sides were equally wary of one another. Carrick were stopping anything Donaghadee created, and when they attacked in mid-field Philip McNamara, Ian Martindale or one of the other backs stopped the runners in their tracks. Donaghadee gained slightly the better from this sparring, and soon led 6-3 after three penalty goals.

When a predatory animal strikes, it is often most deadly when it does so from apparent slumber. From a forward exchange which looked innocuous the ball was suddenly moved very quickly across the Donaghadee backline, recycled, and swung back again to the opposite side. The speed, skill and width of this assault was such that the Carrick defence was severely stretched. For a third time the ball flashed across the field from hand to hand. Right winger Jeff Allen appeared on the "wrong" side of the field as an extra man to send the speedy left winger, Kurt Courtney, in for a well-deserved try. Paul Blewitt added the two extra points to his tally and Donaghadee were ahead 13-3.

Both attackers and defenders now knew that Donaghadee were cooking. All of the Dee men were looking for the ball, anxious to add to their score. When the opportunity arose they grabbed it. Great ball won once again by Gary Fleming and Brian McCracken was fired out to the right via a close call with the left touchline and Simon Crowe and Kurt Courtney fed Jeff Allen who looked for support from David McMinn. The Carrick backs looked for David too, and followed him in-field as he intended, allowing Jeff to change his running line to score the try himself. Paul Blewitt did the business with this try too, and sent Donaghadee into half-time an amazing 20-3 in the lead.

Carrick came out after the break determined to play a little catch-up, but some solid tackling close to the heat with Nigel Forsyth, Noel Angus, Matt Duff and Will Hopes showing prominently, prevented the visitors making any serious progress. When the ball broke for him, Donaghadee's big battering ram, Aaron Martin, saw his chance for one of his specials, and went on a charge, but was pulled down just inches from what would have been a fine try.

The Dee forwards were now well in control, and it came as no surprise that they soon scored a "forward try", with little or no involvement by the backs. After some sterling work by Ian Welch and Brian McCracken, the ball was fed to Nigel Forsythe, who plunged through what was left of the Carrick cover for another score.

Twenty-five to three against a Carrick side who continued to play some robust rugby was something of a surprise, but also, of course, something to savour too. Any spectators who left early knowing in their hearts that the game was over must have regretted it when their friends told them about the try that finished the game.

A Carrick penalty attempt fell short of the Dee posts, and like the awakening beast, the home team sprang into action. If every single one of the Dee players did not actually touch the ball, they certainly supported a concerted attack which flowed the length of the field. At the finish it was Paul Blewitt's contribution to take the defence to his right and reverse the ball to Will Hopes who needed no advice to take it under the posts to finish the game 32-3. There were a number of scores in 1999 for try of the year, but this display of aggressive and supportive team-work must be Donaghadee's first offering as try of the new Millenium."