A sizeable and very enthusiastic crowd had gathered to watch this entertaining, well contested, high scoring Nutty Krust game, which the Dungannon FC team won by 38-12, and which featured quite a few talented players on both teams.
The game was well refereed by Nathan Lamont, assisted by Paul Morriss and William Allen, 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 started the game well controlling both territory and possession for long periods of time in the opening quarter. Players such as Callum Robinson, Patrick Laverty, Ryan McCleary, Ben Harvey and William McMahon asked early questions of the Dungannon defence, which held firm through the efforts of Dungannon players such as Joshua Girvan, James Adamson, Dylan Byrne and James Tate.
On 28 minutes, it was the Dungannon team that broke the deadlock when Aidan Quinn was stopped just short of the whitewash and a quick recycle saw Joshua Girvan touch down for the try.
James Adamson added the extras to see the Dungannon team into a 7-0 lead.
Just before the break this became 12-0 when Joshua Girvan, James Adamson and Jake Ballentine combined to send Eli McKirgan in for an unconverted try.
Three minutes into the second half, Jake Ballentine took advantage of some great interplay, involving both forwards and backs, before touching down for a try.
James Adamson added the conversion to see the Dungannon team into a 19-0 lead.
Ten minutes later, Blake Redmond displayed some great evasion skills before running in for a try, which James Adamson converted, to increase the Dungannon lead to 26-0.
Armagh then took control of the game for a short period of time. The hard working Patrick Laverty and Ben Harvey combined to carry the ball deep into the Dungannon 22m area. This provided the opportunity for Padraic Carville to run in for a try, which he converted, the reduce the deficit to 26-7.
The Dungannon back division then displayed some lovely handling skills before unleashing Jacob Tate who finished things off with an unconverted try to see the scoreboard read Dungannon 31 Armagh 7.
Now it was the turn of the Armagh back division to display their collective skills. An attack was launched from first phase play and James McCall made the decisive break before sending Samuel McAllister in for an unconverted try to reduce the deficit to 31-12.
Armagh continued to attack but, just when it looked as if they might run in for a third try, they forfeited possession.
Josh Ferguson took full advantage of the situation and outpaced a despairing Armagh defence with his length of the pitch run in for a try.
James Adamson added the conversion to secure the 38-12 victory for the Dungannon FC U18 team.
This win ensures that Dungannon FC U18s will play Rainey RFC U18s in the final of the Nutty Krust Tournament on Wednesday 26 March at 7.30pm.
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.
Calvin Rowe, a member of the Nutty Krust Committee, presented the Nutty Krust “Man of the Match Award” at the post-match ceremony. The award went to James Adamson, the Dungannon FC No 12.
The sixth of this season’s Nutty Krust Tournament games will be played on Wednesday 12 March when the Portadown RFC U18 team will play the Omagh Accies RFC U18 team at 7.45pm in the third, and final, of the Group B games.
All visitors and supporters to the game will be made to feel very welcome and are invited to use the Portadown RFC facilities before and after the game.
