YMCA 1st XV 42 - Lisburn 1st XV 12

The YMCA success story keeps rolling along, and with this fourth win in their opening five games of Qualifying Two, the Drumahoe team are in the top two of this league.

Player Coach Keith Gallick was a very happy man after his team's demolition job over the much fancied Lisburn team, who are being coached this year by Ronnie Tucker who had great success over the years with Portadown and Ballynahinch.

The fact that YMCA played over two thirds of the match with 14 men after scrum half Darrell Braiden had to retire with a ankle injury, makes this six try to two win even more acceptable to the home team.

In all departments of the game YMCA were on top, with their strong and mobile pack laying the foundation for this result. YM are still missing giant skipper Sammy Tracey, but his young replacement Craig McKinley is learning quickly. Prop Graham Brown who has been the outstanding forward this year was unavailable, but the evergreen Ivan Barbour slotted in and never gave an inch in the tight.

Flanker Gordon McCalmont was also sidelined with injury along with Ulster Under 19 hooker Mark Doherty, and when one adds centre Kris Dunn and winger Rudi Moore to the list of players not on view against Lisburn, the strength and depth of the Drumahoe squad is very healthy.

The home team took the lead on four minutes when strong forward play by Gallick was recycled quickly, and number eight Colin Mitchell went in at the left corner. Five minutes later YMCA had their second score when Michell broke left from a scum and linked with Gallick, whose well timed pass inside saw Caldwell race over.

YMCA full back Richard Lavery was then sin-binned after a late tackle on the Lisburn scrum half who had kicked ahead, but soon after centre Ryan Brace extended the lead to 13 with a penalty. Lisburn had their only points of the first half when left winger Neil Lucas finished strongly in the corner, and the referee then sin-binned a player from either team after an altercation.

Despite being down two players after Braiden had to retire, YM finished the half with their third try. Lavery who had returned to the action was held up over the line and from the ensuing scrum, Mitchell picked up from a very solid scrum to put in Gallick, for an 18-5 half time lead.

In the opening ten minutes of the second half scored a further two tries to take the game very much away from the Eglantine Road team. Firstly winger Gary Houston raced over after Mitchell had made ground from a scrum in the opposition 22, and then more sustained pressure and strong driving by the home pack saw second row Craig Logan over, with Brace converting both tries for a 32-5 lead.

Brace then kicked a 62 minute penalty, and converted a sixth try by the home team, when Mitchell went in for his second try of the match. Lisburn had a consolation try when out half Neil Robinson went over with full back Robin Brown's conversion being the last action of the game.

The 1sts now have a two week break from league action when the opening two games of the Junior Cup round robin games are being played. The Drumahoe team are in Group F along with Rainey, Letterkenny and Limavady, with the teams playing home and away, with the top sides in each of the eight sections going forward to the Quarter Final knockout stages. YMCA Coach Gallick will be looking to continue the momentum of his side, as last year the Drumahoe team had a superb Quarter Final win over Bangor, before losing out narrowly to the strong Armagh team.

 

Team - M.Duncan, G. Simpson, I. Barbour, C. McKinney, C. Logan, P. Doherty, C. Mitchell, K. Gallick, D. Braiden, A. Caldwell, A. Hoy, R. Brace, G. Houston, C. Caldwell, R. Lavery

Tries - C. Mitchell (2), A. Caldwell, K. Gallick, C. Logan, R. Bracey
Conversions - R. Brace(3)
Penalties - R. Brace(2)