On Saturday 6 September Donaghadee RFC 1XV travelled to Virginia to open their season in Championship Three.
With the pre-match lunch over and the players ready it was time for the 2025-2026 season to begin. The Donaghadee team included four players making their 1XV debut (Andy Graham, Leo Gray, Harrison McNarry and Charlie Wallis) as well as a welcome return by Chris Hamilton.
The Dee kicked off with a favourable wind behind them and almost immediately were penalised for a high tackle on the halfway line and the sound of the referee’s whistle was going to be a familiar sound to both sets of players. Virginia then gave away a number of penalties which the Dee opted not to kick for goal. In a pre-planned move Mathew Pentland passed the ball to Ryan Butler and the ball went through the hands of several Dee players before Adam Russell scored in the corner. Although the subsequent kick was just wide by Pentland, it was a great start from the Dee with the players taking responsibility to put into practice their pre-season playbook.
Dee then came under pressure from Virginia and after giving away several penalties the referee awarded Virginia a penalty try for what he deemed to be a high tackle with Virginia on the Dee line. The Dee forward was yellow carded and the Dee were down to 14. It was obvious that this could be a turning point in the game and the Dee were under severe pressure from this strong and youthful Virginia side. With 23 minutes gone Virginia scored a try under the posts. The Dee were guilty of missing several tackles and the Virgina flanker crossed the line, before the easy points were added with a successful kick.
With the Dee now back to full strength, the game continued in the same vein with penalties being awarded to both teams. The weather changed and the moist conditions resulted in a number of handling errors. It was to be the Dee who would score next when on 33 minutes Adam Russell scored his second try of the game, in the same corner, after more great passing from the Dee. The conversion was narrowly missed and it was Virginia 14 Donaghadee 10 at halftime.
The second half had barely started when Donaghadee were again guilty of missing numerous tackles and opportunities to halt the Virginia attack, and Virgina crossed the line far too easily and the score was now 21-10. The Dee captain, Mathew Stockton, was leading by example and was doing everything he could to bring his team back into the game. Chris Hamilton was putting in a serious shift despite having just returned from injury. However, it was the home team who extended their lead when, having secured the ball at a lineout, they moved the ball out to the right wing before it came back to the left winger who crossed the line. The kick was successful to push the score to 28-10. Charlie Wallis was the next Dee player to shine when he picked the ball up deep in his own half and he slalomed his way towards the halfway line before offloading to Sam Moore. The game again fell into a constant stream of penalties and both teams were making changes, as this physical encounter was taking its toll. With 20 minutes left to play the Dee got rewarded for their effort. The Dee had a scrum deep inside Virgina territory and they moved the ball out to the left, Sam Moore then gained valuable yards before offloading and the Dee heavier hitters were now edging closer and it was Nathan Boyd who crashed over for the Dee’s third try and the score was now 28-15. Stockton again rallied the team and he was going through a power of work as he tried again to get his team back into the game.
Another fine moved by the Dee came to an unfortunate end when the ball was knocked on as the Dee player was stretching for the try line. The Dee were reduced to 14 men again for a high tackle although it was soon 14 aside as the Virginia winger was penalised for a similar offence. Virginia stretched their lead with a successful penalty attempt to leave the final score was 31-15.
This was a tough physical battle where the debutants were introduced to senior rugby for the first time. The Dee captain Mathew Stockton was man of the match for a great individual performance, as well as being vocal throughout the whole game. Chris Hamilton pushed Stockton for the award, and the amount of work that he put in, as we have all come to expect, was superb considering his recent injury.
The Dee are on the road again next week as they travel to Coleraine (13 September – bus available for supporters) before their first home game of the season against BHSFP (20 September – pre match lunch bookings now being taken).