RUGBY REVIEW: Carrick get the better of Ballymoney

In their first sustained foray into the Ballymoney half Carrick, against the run of play, took the lead with a pushover try from Ryan McGonigle. Luke Whitall added the conversion points with a kick from a difficult angle.

Ballymoney reduced the deficit with a penalty and they continued to dominate territory for much of the remainder of the half, taking the lead in the fifth minute of injury-time when their outside centre chipped over the Carrick defence and won the race to the touch-down. The try was converted with an excellent kick from wide out on the right saw the home side lead by 10-7 at the break.

Carrick lost no time in squaring things up after the restart with a penalty before Brian Alexander’s try, with Luke Whitall’s conversion, firing them into a 17-10 lead.

Later, a steal at a lineout allowed second row Andy Kinkaid to charge over from 20 metres out. Whitall converted to wrap up the victory.

It wasn’t one of Carrick’s most inspiring performances but it was a win in weather conditions which made handling rugby difficult.