Continued winning streak sees 16s top of East league

League

This weeks U16’s Ulster carpets fixture match report has a slight twist as Malone played host to two separate teams on different days, Our mid- week training session was replaced with a fixture against Carrick, the pitches were not the only things that had been effected by the weather but also with the team selection as a quartet of players rang to say they where unavailable due to the dreaded crippling illness known as man flu.
Team sheet amended the match kicked off on time and within 6 minutes we crossed the line after a tackle dodging run from Connor, and a successful conversion from Miles we were 7 nil up, wave after wave of attack from Malone found Carrick struggling to defend their line and 9 minutes later found us 12 nil up due to a well worked try from Sam and a missed conversion from Miles, we crossed Carrick’s line again just before half time after a perfect kick chase from Finn, converted by Miles we were 19 nil up, Halftime!
Match re started and what only must have been a call to arms from our coaches found the boys fired up and within 3 minutes James crossed the line, conversion missed 24 nil, closely followed by an on form Finn who crossed the try line 2 more times, 1 converted 1 missed found us 36 nil up and we weren’t finished there as what can only be described in what was quick becoming a rout we went on to score 4 more tries 2 from Corey 1 from Aaron and 1 more from Finn after 3 successful conversions from Miles we finished the game 62 nil to the good,
What an impressive display from our boys and proves the theory train hard fight easy, some credit must go to Carrick for sheer determination in what was an onslaught form the get go.
Man of the match goes to Connor for an outstanding performance.
Second fixture found us hosting a top of the table clash with Ballynahinch, still smarting from the upset our boys suffered away at the hinch they were determined to set the record straight, I must admit all the coaches nerves were wrecked which was only increased by the no show of 3 players all of which were suffering from the dreaded illness that ails all men and lays them low, the Cold!
After some creative thinking from our coaches the team was reshuffled and after card checks! Yes card checks I think I might need my eyes tested again as some of the Hinch players could only be described as man mountains the game was ready to go!
The players lined up for the kick off and the air was thick with tension as it wasn’t lost on any supporter the importance of the game! straight from the off it was bone crunching tackles followed by some awesome counter rucking from both teams, however it was the opposition who struck first after a kick into our 22 and what only described as confusion or bad luck something that has effected every team in the opening round of the six nations an elusive ball was touched down by Hinch! conversion missed it was 5 nil, tackling intensity was ferocious so much so it even began to affect the coaches as Head coach Nathan attempted to tackle a tractor tyre on the side of the pitch! Halftime
After some much needed recovery time our boys took the field and the intensity was just the same as the first half however 15 minutes later Ballynahinch began to unfold and after some out of hand tactical kicking from Finn found him crossing the line, conversion missed Game On! 6 minutes later Callum crossed the line and after successful conversion from Miles we were 12 – 5 up! Heads up shoulders back our lads pushed on and we were rewarded again with Callum crossing the line and after a successful conversion we were 19 -5 up, Ballynahinch attempted to make a come back as they scored late on in the game to finish with us the winners by 19 to 10,
What a truly awe-inspiring performance from all the players on and off the pitch that did both their clubs proud! But even more so for our boys who managed to rub out the memory of the injustice served at the earlier fixture between both teams!
All our players had an outstanding game and gave their all however the man of the match for this game was Callum Ballantine who was ferocious in defence as well in attack a very well done!