DELIGHT FOR OPHIR FIRSTS

when they met Civil Service at Stormont last Saturday. Supported by MCW properties and Biffa, the Mallusk team had drawn their home fixture against Service earlier in the season and a win at the Maynard Sinclair grounds looked a challenging prospect.

Indeed the early stages of the game were dominated by the home side and the Ophir tackling had to be top notch to stop the rampant Civil Service pack. The Ophir defence, combined with some dropped passes by the Civil Service backs led to just 3 penalty points on the board for all their effort. And after 15 minutes Ophir had clawed their way back into the game and full back, David Walker landed a fine penalty, albeit with the aid of a post. 5 minutes later from a set scrum just inside the Civil Service half, Ophir scrum half Karl Davis put in what looked a bit hopeful kick ahead, but centre Steven Hastings was after it in a flash. The Service full back fumbled the clearance and Hastings was sharp enough to nudge the ball over the try line. Winning the race for the touchdown he was unceremoniously dumped to the turf by the Service winger and the referee immediately awarded a penalty try. David Walker easily converted. Civil Service responded with a well taken penalty but
at the break Ophir led 10 – 6.

For twenty minutes of the second half, Ophir ran riot, dominating the set pieces and running and handling the ball like internationals. From a Civil Service scrum 10 metres from their line, Ophir stole the ball and flanker Johnny Murphy nipped over the line. David Walker converted. Then came the try of the match – winger James Brownlee cleverly intercepted a Civil Service pass and set off from his own 10 metre line. With the Service defence closing in he brilliantly off loaded to Karl Davis who just got his fingertips to the pass and raced 50 metres to score. The conversion put Ophir 24 – 6 in the lead and they looked home and dry. But to the dismay of the travelling support, Ophir’s domination suddenly crumbled and Service began to run the play, as they had in the early stages of the match. Two tries and a conversion brought the gap to just 6 points before an exchange of penalties put the scores at 27 – 21 to Ophir. In the dying nail biting minutes Service were pressing the Ophir line but the defence held to the delight of the players and the support.