Donaghadee started strongly in this Qualifying Two Promotion /Relegation Play-Off and pressed the UUC line on more than one occasion during the first twenty minutes without gaining any dividend. The Dee did open the scoring however when full-back Danny McBride converted a well-struck penalty from wide-out on the twenty-two for the home side to take a 3-0 lead with twenty three minutes of the first half played. UUC spurned a number of chances with the boot before their chunky second row barged his way over on thirty five minutes after sustained carrying by an impressive student pack well backed up by their skilful and fleet of foot backline. With the extras added the Dee were now on the back foot and produced their best phase of the game pressurising the students’ defence through the carrying of Chris Hamilton, Paul Hamilton and Chris Good and the deft game management of Adam Lowry at scrum-half. Although the Dee nearly got over the line on a number of occasions the UUC defence held firm and half-time was reached with the students maintaining their 10-3 advantage.

Although now playing “up the hill” and against the wind Donaghadee picked up where they had left off in the first-half and always looked the side more likely to score through the efforts of Chris Hamilton and Lowry ably supported by the barnstorming Paul Hamilton, John Quigg and Matthew Martin. Opportunities arose but too often a misplaced pass or an unforced error defied the home side’s efforts. A key moment occurred when Good had to leave the field after sixty five minutes with a recurring knee injury and the Dee were now to miss the experience and stoical leadership of their tight-head. With seventy minutes on the clock Lowry once more engineered a promising attack only for the ball to spilled in midfield – the students sensed an opportunity and the ball was quickly spun to the left where an interchange of play took them past the despairing home defence to score an unconverted try in the corner. Donaghadee now had to switch to all out attacking game in an effort to catch up on their opponents and, as is often the way, were caught out twice for the students to score a further two tries and run out winners by a flattering 29-3 scoreline. The students certainly deserved their win on the day but Donaghadee had produced by far their best performance over recent weeks and, had opportunities been taken earlier in the game, the result may well have ended differently.

As circumstances would have it the result did not matter in the end as Donaghadee retained their Q2 status due to Bangor’s victory in Clonmel returning them to the AIL ranks meaning, in so doing, that all those in the Qualifying Leagues finishing second or ninth either gained promotion or remained in their current league respectively.

In what has been an unprecedented season in terms of injury and unavailability it is useful to reflect on those were not available yesterday. Richard Martindale and Club & 1st XV Captain Nigel Barker had succumbed to (and in the latter’s case career ending) injury earlier in the season. Gareth Deering, Ally Deering, Conor McKee, Conn Crawford, Sam Ingham and Tommy Scullion were missing from the pack and Mark Cooper, Ryan Irvine, Paul Johnston and Billy Allen from the backline. Allied to this the fact that the side lost two of its stand-out forwards midway through the campaign in the form of Jack Cooke and Matty Johnston who left to go travelling and foreign study respectively the reduction in available personnel was simply unsustainable. In addition Alastair Lockhart and Matthew Kane had left to pursue similar goals prior to the season starting. It is however worthwhile recording the efforts of those who remained and, in particular, stand-in skipper Gareth Gordon who has led the side from the front and with great dignity in trying circumstances, Chris Hamilton whose quality and effort on behalf of the team continued to shine throughout adversity, Matty Martin, Paul Hamilton, Johnny Stewart, Stuart Hutchinson and Danny McBride – all introduced late in the season and all making telling contributions, Paul Blewitt for his wise counsel and leadership on and off the field and Chris Scott who coped exceptionally well with every positional change asked of him from week to week. Thanks also to those who made cameo appearances throughout the season such as Max Montgomery, Matthew Stockton, Adam Lowry, Matthew Kennedy and Adam Alexander together with everyone else who have represented the 1st XV during the course of the campaign and have not been mentioned above but all of whom have represented the Club’s premier side with great effort and pride. Finally the Club owe a great debt of gratitude to the Coaching and Management Teams who have led the side, and indeed the Club, through one of their more difficult seasons. Director of Rugby Chris Good, Head Coach John West, Assistant Coaches John Blewitt, Paddy McGrattan, Nigel Barker and Manager Peter Matthews have been unstinting in their efforts and unfailing in their dedication and can look back with not inconsiderable pride on the job they have done in the most difficult of circumstances.

Onwards and upwards…..