Academy make it three from three

BANBRIDGE Academy recorded their third straight win last Saturday when they ran in seven tries against Lurgan College without reply.

Full-back Michael Runciman kicked off the try spree when he raced clear of the defence in the 6th minute. Chris Craig converted but was unable to add the extras when lock forward Harry Russell grabbed the second try before the interval.

As Bann’s domination of possession and territory became increasingly emphatic after the break, further tries were inevitable. Centre Carl Stirling broke through the Lurgan defence to touch down with Craig converting with just five minutes of the second half played.

Hooker Jordan Buchanan on 55 minutes and flanker Andrew McConnell five minutes later stretched Academy’s lead, with Craig converting the latter. And as an indication of the side’s expansive style, wingers Josh Watson and Joe Weir grabbed one try apiece, with Craig’s fourth conversion making up the final tally of 43 unanswered points.

There were particularly good performances from Craig in the unfamiliar out-half position and from centre Matthew Kerr.

The Academy Second XV went two better than the Firsts, beating their Lurgan College counterparts 45-0, but the Medallion side lost 17-19.

The junior sides enjoyed less success when they took on Dromore High School in a series of matches through the week. The U13 A lost 14-5 while the U-13B enjoyed the only success, beating Dromore 32-0.

The U14 A lost 17-33, with their scores coming from Ben Daly, Stewart Savage and Jamie Hill, with Ben Carson slotting over one conversion.

The U14B lost 40-15, The Medallion side went down 12-5 and the Second XV lost 0-5 to Dromore’s U16 team.