Bann earn play-off place despite defeat

​

CASHEL 12

BANBRIDGE 7

The Rifle Park side travelled to Co. Tipperary in fourth place in Division 2A and came home still clinging to that slot after Old Crescent failed to get the win they needed at Barnhall to overhaul them.

Head coach Rob Logan admitted after the game that his side probably didn’t deserve to get the win against league runners-up Cashel.

“The first half performance was first-class. To hold them scoreless playing into the wind showed our defensive qualities.

“Then we turned round and had a lot of territory but our set piece struggled in the wind and that let us down.”

Both sides struggled to master the elements, with lineouts in particular proving problematic. Much of the first half was played out between the halfway line and Bann’s “22”. Cashel’s game plan was limited and their pick-and-go tactic never threatened to break down the well-organised visitors’ defence.

“Then we gave them a foothold at the start of the second half with a couple of soft scores and we didn’t take our chances,” said Logan.

Uncharacteristically soft tackling gifted Cashel their first try as their centre broke through between a couple of defenders to touch down at the posts with 50 minutes played.

Ten minutes later the home pack mauled lineout ball from the Bann “22” to the five metre line, before releasing blindside to put their right winger in for a try that went unconverted.

Bann hit back almost immediately, stretching the Cashel defence beyond its limits for Jack Hart to put Rob Lyttle in for a try out wide.

Hart’s conversion - a notable feat in itself given the swirling wind - reduced the gap to five points and Bann went on to dominate the final quarter hour of the game.

There was disquieting news coming through from Barnhall, where visitors Old Crescent were keeping within a score of the home side.

And when Bann failed to secure possession from three successive attacking lineouts, normally a rich source of tries for the Rifle Park team, the possibility that the promotion play-off place might be snatched from them became a real concern.

A final opportunity, off a lineout five metres out, was again wasted and the home supporters celebrated the win which assured them of home advantage in their play-off game.

Then the result Bann needed came through from Barnhall to the delight of the visiting players, coaches and supporters.

Logan might have been disappointed with the result but he was thrilled to see his side take their place in the play-offs.

“Look,” he said. “It’s a young squad and they’ve come a long way this season. It’s an exciting prospect to get into the play-offs.

“It’s unexpected given where we were at the start of the year with so many new players, and given the age-profile.

“But we’ve nothing to lose now. We’ve fought hard and picked up a few good results and that’s a game today we could well have won.”

Bann now take on Queen’s in the semi-final play-off, the student side having finished ninth in Division 1B in their first season after winning promotion at the end of 22-23.

So did Bann’s Director of Rugby, Marc Eadie, have any concerns about the squad’s ability to survive in 1B if they did manage to come out on top in the play-offs?

“None whatsoever,” was his answer to that question, after he’d watched what he called an impressive performance in very tough conditions at Cashel.

“We were probably just looking at consolidating this season,” he added.

“But the boys have done very well for such a young team.

“We’re going into the Queen’s game on the back of excellent wins over Barnhall and UL Bohs and a narrow defeat down here against a very good Cashel team.”

That Queen’s game is due to be played at The Dub at 2.30pm on Saturday, April 20 and, if Bann come out on top, they will travel to play the winners of the Cashel-Barnhall game the following Saturday.

Bann team:- Rob Lyttle, Tom Caesar, Andrew Morrison, Troy Pinion, Adam Doherty, Jack Hart, Neil Kilpatrick, Michael Cromie, Peter Cromie (Capt), Stuart Cromie, Max Lyttle, Alex Weir, Marcus McNeill, Kyle Stirling.

Replacements:- Zac Solomon, James Canning, Daniel Moore, Xander Lowham, Ethan Mount.