A sizeable and very enthusiastic crowd had gathered to watch this entertaining, well contested, high scoring Nutty Krust game, which the City of Armagh team won by 34-22, and which featured quite a few talented players on both teams.
The game was well refereed by Ross Copeland, assisted by Matthew Peak and Jonathan McMaster, from the USRFR. The Nutty Krust organising committee is grateful to the USRFR for ensuring all the Nutty Krust games are refereed by teams of members of the USRFR.
The Armagh team had taken an early 10-0 lead when, on the back of some enterprising play from Toby Radcliffe, Ben Harney and Luke Windrum, they scored two unconverted tries through Padraic Carville and Patrick Laverty.
The Banbridge team responded positively to the early sets back and reduced the deficit to 10-5 when Cameron Smart took advantage of good work from Alex Mitchell, Cody Barr and Addison Kennedy before running in for an unconverted try.
Armagh then responded with some great handling skills to put Aron Laverty in for a try, which was converted by Padraic Carville, to increase their lead to 17-5.
Banbridge then took lay into the Armagh “Red Zone” and, following pressure at scrum time, they won a penalty which Sam Kidd converted, to see the scoreboard read 17-8 in favour of Armagh.
Just before the break, Thomas Donaldson converted a penalty opportunity for the Armagh team to see them take a 20-8 lead into the break.
Early in the second half, the Banbridge team displayed some great handling skills and clever lines of running. Elijah Dempsey took one such line and ran in for a try, which was converted by Sam Kirk, to reduce the arrears to 20-15.
Armagh responded with a well-organised penalty lineout maul which enabled Patrick Laverty to touch down for a try which Padraic Carville converted.
Now leading by 27-15, the Armagh team went on the attack once more. Effective work from Patrick Laverty paved the way for a James McCall try, which was converted by Padraic Carville, to see the Armagh team into a 34-15 lead.
However, the Banbridge team displayed great spirit and got rewarded for their endeavours when Aodhan Tiernan crossed the whitewash for a try.
Sam Kidd added the extras to see the final scoreline read City of Armagh FC U18s 34 Banbridge RFC U18s 22.
As usual with the Nutty Krust Tournament, the players all received a post-match meal which was sponsored by Hewitt Meats, prepared by the staff in “Flat Dogs Gourmet Food” Restaurant, and organised by Ryan, the Flat Dogs proprietor. Ryan was assisted by his Flat Dog colleague, Matthew Wickham, in serving the food. All the players, as well as their coaches, received a Nutty Krust loaf on departure.
Bobby Stewart, a former President of both Portadown RFC and the Ulster Branch, and someone closely connected with the youth game in Ulster, presented the Nutty Krust “Man of the Match Award” at the post-match ceremony. The award went to Patrick Laverty, the City of Armagh FC U18 No 6.