Bangor collected the Millar McCall Wylie Junior Cup with a tenacious 7-5 win over Instonians at a windswept Kingspan Stadium on Tuesday evening.
At the eighth attempt the North Down club at last brought one of the most coveted trophies in the junior game back to Uprichard Park.
While conditions dictated that the error count was high, both sides certainly did not lack enterprise, or appetite for a gruelling physical contest.
Bangor’s pack dominated in the early stages, using the maul and driven lineout to good effect. The pressure told - in the 10th minute referee Robbie Watson awarded Bangor a penalty just to the right of the posts. But hampered by the gusting wind, winger Mark Widdowson pulled his effort wide.
Eight minutes later Instonians made its first serious foray into Bangor territory, and made it pay. From a well-worked lineout and ruck left-wing Robbie Kirk spotted the narrowest of gaps to sprint in from 15 metres for a fine try.
Again the weather undermined outhalf Richard McCarthy’s conversion attempt from just left of the posts.
Livewire scrumhalf Jason Guthrie posed Bangor’s main attacking threat, and after a clever break down the blindside and a chip into touch, Instonians fullback Andrew McGregor was yellow carded on the half hour mark for throwing the ball away. That followed his skipper Glen Baxter’s sin binning for a series of offences ten minutes earlier.
As Bangor’s power and pace was countered by Instonians’ cussed defence, and occasional threat through Kirk and flanker Matt Dawson, the sides battled themselves and the elements with no change to the score, and despite depleted numbers Instonians held that 5-0 advantage at the interval.
On the restart, and with the rain clearing, Bangor employed the boot to gain territory, but Instonians’ sterling defence held firm, and on a rare breakaway Bangor offended in the 47th minute, only for McCarthy’s penalty from close in to drift wide.
A sustained effort from the pack earned Bangor a penalty five metres out in the 66th minute, and there was something inevitable about the outcome as the pack took responsibility and drove number 8 Curtis Stewart over for the touchdown which tied the match.
With the wind now down to a whippy breeze, Widdowson’s conversion was straight and true to give Bangor a deserved 7-5 lead.
The winger then saw a rather daring penalty attempt from 45 metres go astray, but the clock was winding down in favour of the North Down outfit.
With three minutes remaining, and following a rare break out of its own half, Instonians won a penalty on the right. But from 35 metres out, replacement Fraser Wright’s attempt to claim a last-gasp win went wide as the wind once more intervened.
As the referee blew for ‘time’ the Bangor supporters in the healthy and partisan crowd jumped to applaud their side’s victory, and there was no doubt that the side which had shown more ambition, and managed the conditions best, had deserved a narrow win.
“It’s been a great night for the Bangor club, the fact we have never won this before was a big incentive and this will drive us on in our ambition to win the Towns’ Cup,” said Jason Morgan, the club’s player-coach.
“We have some good young players in the team, and coming through, and what we hope is that over the next five years this great club’s fortunes are restored.”
BANGOR (15-9): Ross McCloskey; David Charles, Rob Gamble, Desi Fusco, Mark Widdowson; Jason Morgan, Jason Guthrie;
(1-8): Michael Ferguson, Andrew Jackson, Phil Whyte; Darren Kelly, Craig Burton; David Bradford, Curtis Stewart, Jamie Clegg (capt).
Replacements: Orran McIlmurray, Patrick Dornan, David Caughey, Mike Weir, Adam McCusker.
INSTONIANS (15-9): Andrew McGregor; Matt Kilpatrick, Joe Fryers, Rory Bell, Robbie Kirk; Richard McCarthy, Matthew Keane;
(1-8): Conor Gallagher, Glen Baxter (capt), Alan Whitten; Harry Cleland, James La Broy; Robert Whitten, Rory McCurry, Matt Dawson.
Replacements: Josh Cregan, Paddy Bell, Lewis McNamara, Fraser Wright, Josh Lewis.
Referee: Robbie Watson
At the eighth attempt the North Down club at last brought one of the most coveted trophies in the junior game back to Uprichard Park.
While conditions dictated that the error count was high, both sides certainly did not lack enterprise, or appetite for a gruelling physical contest.
Bangor’s pack dominated in the early stages, using the maul and driven lineout to good effect. The pressure told - in the 10th minute referee Robbie Watson awarded Bangor a penalty just to the right of the posts. But hampered by the gusting wind, winger Mark Widdowson pulled his effort wide.
Eight minutes later Instonians made its first serious foray into Bangor territory, and made it pay. From a well-worked lineout and ruck left-wing Robbie Kirk spotted the narrowest of gaps to sprint in from 15 metres for a fine try.
Again the weather undermined outhalf Richard McCarthy’s conversion attempt from just left of the posts.
Livewire scrumhalf Jason Guthrie posed Bangor’s main attacking threat, and after a clever break down the blindside and a chip into touch, Instonians fullback Andrew McGregor was yellow carded on the half hour mark for throwing the ball away. That followed his skipper Glen Baxter’s sin binning for a series of offences ten minutes earlier.
As Bangor’s power and pace was countered by Instonians’ cussed defence, and occasional threat through Kirk and flanker Matt Dawson, the sides battled themselves and the elements with no change to the score, and despite depleted numbers Instonians held that 5-0 advantage at the interval.
On the restart, and with the rain clearing, Bangor employed the boot to gain territory, but Instonians’ sterling defence held firm, and on a rare breakaway Bangor offended in the 47th minute, only for McCarthy’s penalty from close in to drift wide.
A sustained effort from the pack earned Bangor a penalty five metres out in the 66th minute, and there was something inevitable about the outcome as the pack took responsibility and drove number 8 Curtis Stewart over for the touchdown which tied the match.
With the wind now down to a whippy breeze, Widdowson’s conversion was straight and true to give Bangor a deserved 7-5 lead.
The winger then saw a rather daring penalty attempt from 45 metres go astray, but the clock was winding down in favour of the North Down outfit.
With three minutes remaining, and following a rare break out of its own half, Instonians won a penalty on the right. But from 35 metres out, replacement Fraser Wright’s attempt to claim a last-gasp win went wide as the wind once more intervened.
As the referee blew for ‘time’ the Bangor supporters in the healthy and partisan crowd jumped to applaud their side’s victory, and there was no doubt that the side which had shown more ambition, and managed the conditions best, had deserved a narrow win.
“It’s been a great night for the Bangor club, the fact we have never won this before was a big incentive and this will drive us on in our ambition to win the Towns’ Cup,” said Jason Morgan, the club’s player-coach.
“We have some good young players in the team, and coming through, and what we hope is that over the next five years this great club’s fortunes are restored.”
BANGOR (15-9): Ross McCloskey; David Charles, Rob Gamble, Desi Fusco, Mark Widdowson; Jason Morgan, Jason Guthrie;
(1-8): Michael Ferguson, Andrew Jackson, Phil Whyte; Darren Kelly, Craig Burton; David Bradford, Curtis Stewart, Jamie Clegg (capt).
Replacements: Orran McIlmurray, Patrick Dornan, David Caughey, Mike Weir, Adam McCusker.
INSTONIANS (15-9): Andrew McGregor; Matt Kilpatrick, Joe Fryers, Rory Bell, Robbie Kirk; Richard McCarthy, Matthew Keane;
(1-8): Conor Gallagher, Glen Baxter (capt), Alan Whitten; Harry Cleland, James La Broy; Robert Whitten, Rory McCurry, Matt Dawson.
Replacements: Josh Cregan, Paddy Bell, Lewis McNamara, Fraser Wright, Josh Lewis.
Referee: Robbie Watson