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Sat 13 Sep 2014
2ndXVHolywood 2
17
27
Lacklustre Ophir outplayed by Holywood 2's
Ron Bell15 Sep 2014 - 00:33
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At the Cottonmount last Saturday Ophir Seconds hosted a visit from Holywood Seconds in Section 6 of the Ulster Branch Junior League.
Weather was excellent for open running rugby with little wind.
The home were stunned within 2 minutes of the kick off when the Holywood full back gathered the ball on his own 22 metre line and sprinted, twisting and dodging his way brilliantly through many despairing tackles, to touch down close to the right hand touch line. The conversion was missed but it was just the start the visitors wanted. Their domination continued and Ophir misery was compounded when just 10 minutes into the match, hooker Ryan Jenkins was yellow carded for an alleged dangerous tackle. Holywood took advantage and a penalty awarded to them 10 metres from the Ophir line was taken short and driven over the line by the forwards to double their lead. Ophir at last managed to retain some decent possession, ably led by veteran prop Gavin Robinson, and progressed to the Holywood line with James Milligan and Phil Weir exchanging some neat passes. But a knock on spoiled the move and a subsequent penalty allowed Holywood to clear the danger. Then it took a superb tackle to stop Ophir's Kevin McLaughlin to stop a certain try. And it was Holywood who ended the half on the up and up - Ophir back Neil Potter was yellow carded for throwing a punch and with Ophir down to 14 men again, the visitors clocked up their third try. The conversion put them 17 - 0 ahead.
5 minutes after the restart, Ophir centre Anthony Davis got clean through the Holywood defence and heading for the line when the referee blew up and awarded Ophir a penalty. Thankfully for the home support, the opportunity was not lost as the short penalty reached James Milligan on the left wing who dived over for Ophir's first points. But Holywood responded with another great individual try, this time from their out half. However it signalled something of a revival in Ophir's fortunes. Better possession and recycling put them close to the Holywood line and Neil Potter crashed through the defence to score. 22 - 10 to Holywood but ophir continued to play better rugby and in the 30th minute of the half, Anthony Davis closed the gap to 7 points; 5 with James Milligan's conversion. Then with the Ophir support growing in optimism a dreadful kick from the Ophir defence fell straight into the hands of the Holywood scrum half to sprint 30 metres and put the final nail into Ophir's coffin. The scoreline at the end - Ophir 17, Holywood 27.
The home were stunned within 2 minutes of the kick off when the Holywood full back gathered the ball on his own 22 metre line and sprinted, twisting and dodging his way brilliantly through many despairing tackles, to touch down close to the right hand touch line. The conversion was missed but it was just the start the visitors wanted. Their domination continued and Ophir misery was compounded when just 10 minutes into the match, hooker Ryan Jenkins was yellow carded for an alleged dangerous tackle. Holywood took advantage and a penalty awarded to them 10 metres from the Ophir line was taken short and driven over the line by the forwards to double their lead. Ophir at last managed to retain some decent possession, ably led by veteran prop Gavin Robinson, and progressed to the Holywood line with James Milligan and Phil Weir exchanging some neat passes. But a knock on spoiled the move and a subsequent penalty allowed Holywood to clear the danger. Then it took a superb tackle to stop Ophir's Kevin McLaughlin to stop a certain try. And it was Holywood who ended the half on the up and up - Ophir back Neil Potter was yellow carded for throwing a punch and with Ophir down to 14 men again, the visitors clocked up their third try. The conversion put them 17 - 0 ahead.
5 minutes after the restart, Ophir centre Anthony Davis got clean through the Holywood defence and heading for the line when the referee blew up and awarded Ophir a penalty. Thankfully for the home support, the opportunity was not lost as the short penalty reached James Milligan on the left wing who dived over for Ophir's first points. But Holywood responded with another great individual try, this time from their out half. However it signalled something of a revival in Ophir's fortunes. Better possession and recycling put them close to the Holywood line and Neil Potter crashed through the defence to score. 22 - 10 to Holywood but ophir continued to play better rugby and in the 30th minute of the half, Anthony Davis closed the gap to 7 points; 5 with James Milligan's conversion. Then with the Ophir support growing in optimism a dreadful kick from the Ophir defence fell straight into the hands of the Holywood scrum half to sprint 30 metres and put the final nail into Ophir's coffin. The scoreline at the end - Ophir 17, Holywood 27.
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