Improved performance not enough to topple Limavady

Gordon West Cup encounter with Limavady. Having swept the board last season and gained promotion, the Newtownabbey men were finding the new League a very different proposition, and this Cup match proved no different.

In a strong blustery cross wind Limavady kicked off and immediately put the home defence under heavy pressure. Only a last ditch magnificent tackle by winger Cillian Rooney stopped what seemed a certain Limavady score. For the next 20 minutes the pattern was similar: Limavady threw everything at the Ophir defence. They were full of confidence, opting to kick all their penalties to touch, even those within easy range of the posts. And it had to tell - after winning a line out on Ophir's 22, Limavady's inside centre scythed through despairing Ophir tackles to touch down under the posts. The conversion was good and for a time it seemed the flood gates would open and Ophir would be in deep trouble. But they managed to hold firm in defence and on scraps of possession they managed to gain some territorial advantage. That was as far as it got - there simply was no way through the tough Limavady defence and inevitably turnover ball allowed the visitors to clear any danger. At the end of the half Ophir were frantically defending their line and the referee's whistle was a welcome relief. 7 - 0 to Limavady.

There was no let up in the Limavady pressure in the early stages of the second half. In the 5th minute Ophir were penalised for offside in front of their own posts and the quickly taken short penalty caught the defence napping. 14 - 0 to Limavady. Then just 6 minutes later a sleek midfield move got the ball to the Limavady wing and as he was stopped inches from the line the outside centre took the flipped pass and dropped over in the corner. The conversion attempt failed but it really didn't matter. Ophir were tiring and the set pieces were beginning to become a nightmare. Driven off their own ball in the scrums it was impossible for Ophir to put together any sort of attack. Ophir fared a little better in the line out and the recycling was good but time and time again, possession was eventually lost. Then with second row Paddy McCabe already off the pitch, Johnjo Flood was added to the injury list. There was now no hope for Ophir. Limavady ran riot, adding four more tries and conversions to end the match with 47 points - and no reply.