They picked up a well contested 36-12 win with the scoreboard having read 15-7 in their favour at the break. A sizeable and enthusiastic crowd had gathered to watch an entertaining game which featured quite a few talented players on both teams.
The Omagh team started the game in a positive mood and dominated both territory and possession early on. However, the Portadown team with players such as Jack McCoo, Pedro Costa and Paul Antu, to the fore, held firm with their defence. That was until Omagh forced Portadown into conceding a penalty, which Andrew Johnston converted, to see the Omagh team into a 3-0 lead.
Continued Omagh pressure forced further penalty concessions and, following an Omagh 5m lineout driven maul, Josh Milligan was stopped just short of the whitewash. However, a few phases later, with Michael Molony, Adam Havlin and Oran McKieran all involved, Shea Daly was awarded the touchdown for an unconverted try to see the Omagh team into an 8-0 lead.
The Portadown team then got sufficient possession to launch a series of attacks in the Omagh Red Zone. David Collins, Ben Neill and Ethan Dickson were at the centre of these attacks and received great support from Pedro Costa and Paul Antu with their strong carries. However, Josh Milligan saved the day on a number of occasions with his positive jackal technique and the Omagh line remained intact.
Omagh then took play deep into Portadown territory through the strong running and carrying ability of Paul Miller. Paul took advantage of some defensive deficiencies and touched down for a try. Andrew Johnston added the extras to see the Omagh team into a 15-0 lead.
Just before the interval the Portadown team got some reward for their endeavours when strong carries from Pedro Costa and Paul Antu created the platform for Sean Peterson to run in for a try. David Collins added the conversion for the scoreboard to read Portadown 7 Omagh 15 at the half time break.
Both teams started the second half in a positive manner. Omagh launched attacks through Mark Bradley and Ben Heny while Edward Lages ran strongly on a number of occasions for the Portadown team.
Both defences worked hard until the sheer pace of the Omagh full back, Ben Henry, ensured he was able to escape the clutches of despairing defenders and touch down for a try, converted by Andrew Johnston, to increase the Omagh lead to 22-7.
This became 29-7 a short time later when Ben once again displayed great pace before touching down for a try. The Andrew Johnston conversion was successful.
The Portadown team was not discouraged from attacking and Edward Lages, David Collins and Ethan Dickson asked questions of the Omagh defence. Unfortunately for Portadown, a stray pass in one attack was intercepted by Mark Bradley who was delighted to run in for the try. Andrew Johnston added the conversion to take the Omagh team into an unassailable 36-7 lead going into the final few minutes.
With the final play of the game Edward Lages ran strongly out of defence and made great yardage into the Omagh 22m area. A clever offload to David Collins, and good interplay between forwards and backs, came to an end when Pedro Costa crashed over for an unconverted try to see the final scoreboard read Portadown 12 Omagh 36.
Bobby Stewart, a former Portadown and Ulster Rugby President, and former Chairman of the Ulster Youth Rugby Committee, presented the Nutty Krust “Man of the Match Award” at the post match ceremony which went in absentia to Edward Lages, the Portadown U18 team No 15, and was accepted by Ethan McDonald.
The fifth of this season’s Nutty Krust group stage games will be played on Wednesday 8th March when the Banbridge RFC U18 team will play the City of Armagh RFC U18 team at 7-45pm.
As usual all supporters will be made very welcome to attend this game at Chambers Park, home of Portadown Rugby Club.
Nutty Krust Tournament Banbridge U18s 36-0 Rainey U18s Wednesday 15th February 2023.
The third of this season’s Nutty Krust group stage games got underway in the Nutty Krust U18Tournament under the floodlights at a cold and damp Chambers Park when the Banbridge U18 team played the Rainey U18 team on Wednesday evening.
The Banbridge team recorded a well contested 36-0 victory with the scoreboard having read 19-0 in their favour at the break. A sizeable crowd had gathered to watch an entertaining game which featured quite a few talented players on both teams.
The Rainey team started the game in a positive mood and dominated both territory and possession for the opening stages of the game. Rainey were dogged and determined but could find no way through a well-organised Banbridge defence despite the best efforts of Rainey players such as Tiernan McLarnon, Matthew Booth, Ethan Canavan and Charlie McCrystal.
That doyen of Ulster Society referees, Mark Orr, encouraged both teams to play with the ball in hand and the Banbridge team started to do so as the game progressed.
Noah Parks ran strongly before touching down for the first try of the game. Denis Kerr added the conversion to see the Banbridge team into a 7-0 lead. Shortly afterwards that became 12-0 when, following good work from Jack Bell, Ross McKee and Noah Parks, Gavin McHugh touched down for an unconverted try. Just before the break, David Kehoe made a great break from his own Red Zone, chip kicked the Rainey rush defence, regathered the ball and touched down for a try. Denis Kerr added the extras to see the Banbridge team into a 19-0 lead at the break.
The third quarter of the game was played, in the main, between the respective 22m lines. That was until the Banbridge pack then started to dominate proceedings with Noah Parks carrying strongly. After one such carry Ethan Barry trundled over the whitewash for a fourth Banbridge try. Denis Kerr added the conversion to see his team into a 26-0 lead. The Banbridge team stayed in attack mode and the Rainey defence worked hard to keep their line intact. Eventually however, in the final quarter, the strength of the Banbridge team came to the fore. David Kehoe and Ryan McMurray took advantage of good build up plays from James Waddell and Frank Doherty before running in for two unconverted tries to secure the 36-0 victory at the end of this entertaining Nutty Krust game.
Gary Jackson, former Royal School, Armagh, King’s Scholars RFC, Portadown RFC Hooker, and Past-President of Portadown Rugby Club, presented the Nutty Krust “Man of the Match Award” at the post match ceremony. The Man of the Match Award went to David Kehoe, the Banbridge U18 team No 9.