Tough start for young Academy side

OMAGH Academy’s 1st XV rugby players are on a journey that won’t end up with Ross Hunter’s inexperienced young team winning this year’s Schools Cup!

The class of 2024 are not short on many of the finer skills greatly admired in the game but in comparison to many of the teams that will feature in the knockout stages of this year’s competition, Omagh are a young, developing outfit that will have to learn many hard lessons before they can compete with the elite.

The best they can possibly hope for this year is to ruffle a few feathers along the way as they did in this first round group game at Campsie Playing Fields.

The one-sided scoreline certainly doesn’t reflect how competitive this game was at times and in truth the visitors enjoyed purple patches at the end of each half to put a real gloss on the final outcome.

The highlight from an Omagh perspective was Harry McIlwaine’s try at the beginning of the second half with scrum-half Sam Harper adding the extras.

The Academy boys threatened to score a second try at that stage and had they closed the gap further that may well have put something of a spanner in the works for their opponents.

But it didn’t quite happen for the hosts and Dalriada finished with a flourish.

Omagh made the worst possible start by conceding straight from the kick-off. Dalriada winger Issac Moore broke clear on the left and he passed inside for prop forward Angus Graham to barge over close to the posts.

Alfie Miller added the extras and did so again midway through the first half when Archie Graham, playing at number eight and who was as physically imposing as his brother, drove over on the other side of the Omagh posts.

Flying machine Moore twice showed the Omagh defence a clean pair of heels before the interval to leave the visitors 28-0 ahead at the interval.

The home side needed a big response in the second half and the initial signs were extremely promising, when, following a period of relentless pressure, McIlwaine crashed over and Harper converted to give the home faithful something to shout about.

Omagh continued to bombard the visiting line but they failed to turn that pressure into real substance on the scoreboard.

And having weathered the storm Dalriada cut loose to score two more tries in the final quarter.

Replacement Scott barged his way over and Miller added his fifth conversion of the day before visiting out-half Chris Finney kicked through for flanker Joe Lynas to win the race and touch down. Finney duly added the extras to complete a comprehensive victory.

In the other game in Omagh’s qualifying group, Royal School Dungannon were defeated 17-15 by Banbridge Academy. The two Tyrone sides are scheduled to meet next on Saturday, November 9th at the Armstrong Field.

The Teams

Omagh Academy

Adam Coulter; Jack Keys; Andrew Beggs; Aaron Russell; Innes Sheridan; Ryan Mitchell; Harry McIlwaine; Philip Crawford; Sam Harper; Jack Adams; Eoin McCusker; Matthew McClung; Matthew Brady; Charlie Farrell; Lewis McIvor.

Subs: Lewis Henderson; Harvey McMaster; Ashton Hassard; Adam McClintock; Matthew Armstrong; Harry Woods; Andrew Pinkerton; James Millar.

Dalriada

Thomas Condell; Adam Torrens; Angus Graham; Ryan McArthur; Solomon Patterson; Jack McAuley; Joe Lynas; Arhie Graham; Alfie Millar; Chris Finney; Issac Moore; Ken Kirk; Matthew Fox; Matty Rea; Zach McIlhagga.

Subs: Paul Guy; Zach Martin; Josh McComb; Luke Blair; Andrew Scott; Daniel Wilson; Alfie King; Marcus Forgrave; Seth Cordner; Lucas Steele.