Coaches 'very proud' of Ballymoney U16 Boys
Good win at home for the Toon’s Under-16s.
Under clear morning skies, Ballymoney U16 welcomed Instonians to Kilraughts Road for an 11am kick-off. Following a brief spell of overnight rain, the pitch conditions were excellent and set the stage for an entertaining game of rugby.
Ballymoney U16 produced an outstanding team performance to record a deserved 32-5 victory over Instonians. Built on powerful scrummaging, excellent lineout work and a defensive effort that refused to give an inch, the home side showed great determination and teamwork throughout the match.
From the opening whistle, Ballymoney set the tempo and quickly began to dominate possession and territory. Their hard work was rewarded when Sam Wright opened the scoring with the first try of the afternoon to put Ballymoney 5-0 ahead.
The pressure continued to build as the forwards laid a solid platform for the backs to attack from. Adam Stewart crossed for Ballymoney's second try before Zac McBride added a third, giving the home side a commanding 15-0 lead.
With the forward pack working tirelessly around the field and the backline making the most of the possession available, Ballymoney looked comfortable heading into the break.
Instonians came out strongly at the start of the second half and got themselves on the scoreboard, reducing the deficit to 15-5 and briefly putting Ballymoney under pressure. However, the home side remained composed, settled their heads and quickly regained control of the contest.
Leading from the front was captain Colin Shaw, who was immense throughout the game. His efforts were rewarded with Ballymoney's fourth try, while Tom McDowell added the conversion to stretch the lead to 22-5.
The boys continued to push forward, showing great support play and commitment in both attack and defence. Lewis Hogg added the fifth try of the afternoon before substitute Daniel Laverty rounded off the scoring with Ballymoney's sixth try to secure an impressive 32-5 victory.
A huge amount of credit must go to the Ballymoney pack. The scrum was powerful all afternoon and the lineout operated superbly, providing quality possession and a solid foundation for the team's attacking play. Every forward played their part, fighting for every inch and defending bravely whenever called upon.
The forward pack consisted of Captain Colin Shaw, Ben Logan, Olly Clyde, Zac McBride, Adam Williams, Isaac Hanna, Kane Blair and Adam Stewart, all of whom made significant contributions during the match.
Behind them, Alex McKinney, Lewis Hogg, Sam Wright, Thomas Torrens, Jamie Morrison, Tyler Bann and Harry Burnett looked dangerous in possession and worked tirelessly off the ball.
Substitutes Tom McDowell, Noah Sloan and Daniel Laverty all made strong impacts when introduced, with Laverty capping his appearance with a well-taken try.
Player of the Match was deservedly awarded to Lewis Hogg, whose work rate, physicality and commitment around the park were outstanding from start to finish.
Following the match, coaches Derek Williams and Robert Shaw praised the performance of the entire squad:
"It was an outstanding performance from the whole team. Every player worked hard for one another and fully deserved the result,” they said.
“Instonians put us under pressure with an early score in the second half, but the boys settled down, stuck to the game plan and finished the match strongly.
“The effort, attitude and teamwork shown throughout the squad was excellent and we're very proud of them."