Ballyclare Seconds crash out of cup
Thursday, 12 January 2012
FOR Ballyclare Rugby Club only one of the teams was in action at the weekend as very wet conditions continue to restrict games across the Province and the pitches at the Cloughan are no better condition than elsewhere.
The Seconds made the trip to County Tyrone to play a strong Clogher Valley 2nd XV in the Crawford Cup.
Despite being able to field a good side any thoughts of emulating the powerful Seconds teams of 1999-2002 when the trophy was won in a record making run of four consecutive years at Ravenhill were dashed at a damp Cran pitch in Fivemiletown.
The two sides had met a couple of months earlier with the Valley boys winning by a narrow margin in a league game.
On this ocassion a couple of breakaway scores from a pacey Valley winger plus two Clare men being sin binned meant that the Seconds who were without their formidable skipper Jonny Birkmyre were under pressure.
They did make a bright start with a drop goal from Ian Russell and the pack were making ground but lost flanker Coburn within minutes to the first yellow card.
The home side made use of their advantage to go in for a converted try to go ahead but the Seconds hit back with a good back movement which saw centre Chris Gillan racing through to get a try that was converted by Russell.
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