The spectre of player injury that has haunted Donaghadee over the last couple of seasons took an even deeper bite from the 1st XV’s resources on Saturday when the side visited Coleraine in a key Kukri Championship 2 contest. Missing from the squad which lost to Randalstown last week were Robbie Grant, Callum Montgomery, skipper Alastair Lockhart, Chris Hamilton, Peter Callaghan, Matt Leebody, Adam Alexander and Davy Skipp. With Paul Hamilton, Dylan Robinson, Jody Newell, Robbie Ingham and Chris McGivern still on the short-term injured list Andy McCracken, Jonny Gamble, Nathan Boyd and Ally Barnes came into the pack whilst fit again Mark Cooper, Owen Bailie, Sam Wilkinson & Jonny Moore joined the backline together with Ryan Butler and Adam Proctor on the bench – youngsters Boyd, Moore & Butler making their competitive debuts for the 1st XV. Coleraine, on the other hand, were buoyed by their 26-0 derby victory over early league pacesetters Ballymoney last weekend.

The hosts started the game the more confident of the two sides and soon had the Dee pinned down in their own territory and with only three minutes played took the lead with a well-placed penalty kick. Coleraine continued to dominate possession for the next twenty minutes and their talented footballing No. 10 repeated the dose on two further occasions to increase their lead to 9-0 moving into the second quarter. At this point the Dee found their feet led by barnstorming blindside Padric Ahearn, skipper Sam Ingham, Barnes & Ray Dobson. Pressure on the home side eventually told and the Dee got themselves on the scoreboard when Cooper converted a penalty of his own. Play now swung back and forth with the Dee unfortunate to not narrow the gap through the efforts of Matthew Mingout & Ben Beattie in midfield. Coleraine also exerted significant pressure during this period but were undone by excellent Dee defence with Jonny Gamble, Bryn Macartney and Ahearn particularly prominent.

The scoreboard was not bothered again prior to half-time but unfortunately, five minutes into the second period, Coleraine were able to punish a Dee infringement to extend their lead to 12-3 through the boot of their metronomic kicker. Ten minutes later a lapse in the visiting side’s concentration led to a well-worked try from the home threequarters. Although the extras were not added Coleraine had now extended their lead to 17-3. At this point Bailie had to leave the field having soldiered on with an injury suffered early in the first half. Gamble moved into the back line to cover for the departed Bailie and Butler replaced the former in the back row. Donaghadee now enjoyed a period of pressure and were unfortunate not to gain more following persistent drives through Barnes and Ahearn and slick movement in the backs orchestrated by Cooper & scrum-half Morgan Paulin. Coleraine eventually weathered the storm when a Dee infringement allowed them to clear their lines. Their attacking exertions had taken it’s toll on the young Dee side and Coleraine gradually worked their way up the pitch before outnumbering the visiting defence to score another unconverted try in the corner. Donaghadee picked themselves up with Ahearn & Ingham leading a number of attacks well supported by the ever-dangerous Beattie. Try as the might Donaghadee could not add to their score and the match ended with Coleraine winning by a 22-3 margin.

Whilst not bringing any points home was disappointing the performance of the extremely young Dee side was more than encouraging in the circumstances. The debutants all showed they will have a key part to play on the 1st XV over the next few years plus the return of Barnes & Cooper demonstrated how much they both have been missed over recent weeks. Man of the Match goes to Paddy Ahearn whose mature performance in all aspects of the game demonstrated that he has now settled in to become a key part of the forward pack.

Next week the 1st XV take a welcome break from league matters when they welcome old friends Monaghan to Donaldson Park for the first round of the Towns Cup.