Match report by Geoff Ingham

Donaghadee played their final game of 2021 on Saturday when they travelled to Rifle Park to face a strong Banbridge 2s team in a Conference League game. As has been the norm this season there were several changes with coach Paul Blewitt handing first team debuts to Dee Academy players Ben Beattie, Max Weiniger and Adam Johnston who joined three other players under 21 years of age on the team. Banbridge started strongly and spent the first ten minutes in the Dee half but the defence stood firm and kept the home side at bay. It was the Dee who had the first real chance of scoring when Adam Russell broke clear at the halfway line but was stopped just short of the line. On the 15-minute mark the Dee got there first try when after several drives Sam Ingham broke a couple of tackles before slipping the ball to Ray Dobson who forced his way over the line. Mark Cooper (pictured) converted to put the Dee into a 7-0 lead. Banbridge came back at the Dee and seven minutes later their No. 8 picked up from the back of a scrum and scored in the corner to make it 7-5. At this stage the Dee seemed to be getting on the wrong side of the ref and were penalised on several occasions for infringements at the ruck. One of these penalties led to Banbridge taking the lead when the scrumhalf gathered a kick deep in the Dee 22 and touched down in the corner. Five minutes later the No. 8 scored his second try when he burst through the midfield to score under the posts. The referee’s patience finally ran out resulting in a yellow card for one of the Dee’s forwards and Banbridge took full advantage of the extra man and stretched the lead to 24-7 at half time.

The second half followed much the same pattern as the first with Banbridge dominating both possession and territory and Dee showing glimpses of what they were capable of when they eventually got their hands on the ball. To their credit the young Dee team never gave up, even after the opposition had scored a couple more tries. This determination was finally rewarded when the ball was moved wide to winger Max Weiniger, who managed to pass back inside before he was forced out, allowing Robbie Ingham to score in the corner. Banbridge finished the game the stronger, scoring a further two tries before the referee blew for full time with the score 48-12 in the home team’s favour.

This was an opportunity for the young Dee players to experience 1st XV rugby and their efforts were appreciated by the small group of Dee supporters. Man of the match goes to Ben Beattie who had an excellent debut at scrumhalf.

The Dee’s next game is on the 8th January 2022 when they host Lisburn at Donaldson Park in the Kukri Championship League.