So close for Ophir

Earlier in the season Ophir had suffered a heavy defeat against Holywood at Kerr Park, largely due to the loss of two players early in the second half of that game.  Now back to full strength, Ophir’s First XV, supported by Biffa and MCW Properties, were looking for a degree of retribution.   
But the Cottonmount men allowed the Holywood pack to dominate the early exchanges and within 20 minutes found themselves 9 points in arrears thanks to three well taken penalties.  At last the Ophir men began to settle and took the game into Holywood territory, recycling possession brilliantly time and time again until either an unfortunate knock on or infringement gave the ball away.  The best opportunity for a try in the half came from a typical break by Ophir scrum half Karl Davis who was stopped only inches from the line.  Ophir prop, John-Joe Flood had to leave the field with a shoulder injury which led to uncontested scrums; not to Ophir’s benefit because they had begun to overpower Holywood in the set pieces.  
Ophir’s coach, Ken Campbell, had a word or two with his team at the half time break and Ophir were transformed from the restart.  An early penalty opportunity was narrowly missed but 4 minutes later David Walker made amends with his first points of the game, albeit in off the post.  Then a minute later hooker Gerard Crawford broke clear and his brilliant chip ahead was touched down, fingertip style, by second row Paddy McCabe and with Walker’s conversion, Ophir led 10 – 9.  An even period of play was broken in the 30th minute of the half when the Ophir pack battled their way up the pitch for Gerard Crawford to cap an excellent display with a try in the corner.  David Walker missed the difficult conversion and sadly it proved crucial.  John-Joe Flood’s earlier injury had made it difficult for him to exert his full influence on the scrum and Holywood took advantage.  In the dying seconds of the game and despite all of Ophir’s magnificent defence, the visitors broke through to score mid way between the posts and touchline.  The watching crowd held its breath for the conversion, and it was good.  

Beaten 16 points to 15, it was a case of so near, yet so far for Ophir.  A win would have opened up the race for the top of the League but in the end a sterling performance came to nothing.