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OMAGH 3's 20 - 5 STRABANE 2's | Mon 02nd Jan 2006 | | Team:- Gary B, Gary Smith, Bob, Decky, Lee, Gordy, Eddie, Glen, Tmmy, Paddy, Smiler (David Millar), Brian, David W, Soupy, McKnight. Subs, JK, Gareth C.
Well we arrived in Omagh thinking, or maybe praying, that the match would be cancelled as the pitchs where like paddy fields, it was pissing it down and we where all cold. Anyway the omagh team had all arrived and the ref showed up saying that the match was still on. Omagh won the tos and put us to kick playing down the pitch towards nestles. It was to be a forwards game as the ball was a bar of soap. No joking or excuses here from those of you thinking I was trying to soften the blow of telling you later I had dropped the ball! There really was no grip on the things and even bobs ploy of lying on it didnt work! the match started well for strabane with us dominating possession for the first 10 minutes and being camped in the omagh 22. However things didnt go to plan and somehow we got walked back up the field and omagh got a try from fairly good play scoring in the corner from good play from their back line. The conversion went over so it was back to the drawing board.
Omagh realised that they had Stuarty Harpur playing and started using him to barge up the poitch. Even Timmy 'The terrier' couldnt bring him down with his ferocious tackling and I think I saw him bite his ankles once on the way passed. Anyway to cut a lot of crap talk Omagh got a penalty which they scored. At this stage Omagh had to make a substitution which meant they had no jumper for a short period of time. This meant Gordy had clean possession and was winning line outs and truning over ball. This worked well and we got back up the pitch and from a bit of broken play that man with the super knees paddy managed to sneak in over the line. Unfortunately Gary missed the conversion. Omagh then made a daring move and brought on a new man for jumping. He just happened to be milling about the club but is the jumper for the seconds team. He really seemed to make the difference with the omagh scrum now seeming stronger and the lineouts being hotly contested. Im not sure his plays where legal though but the ref couldnt even see the ball going into the line outs not straight so he totally missed the elbows in Gordy's face. Half time blew up and it was 10-5.
JK went on for Lee and the plan was to rest for for 10 mins then switch with paddy. However omagh seemed to have different plans and took out soupy. The ref didnt seem to notcie this and played for a full 5 mins with soupy on his knees in the middle of the pitch and omagh playing around him trying their best to score. Eventually there was a breakdown wich strabane won but the ref decided omagh where getting the scrum anyway. Im sure I saw him wear green and white under his gold jersey....... Soupy had to come off and I was on. Omagh got the scrum and scored but the conversion was missed.
We where trying hard so hard in fact that I even managed to get the ball after a chase toward our own line and I secured it! No knock on or doing anything silly! However it wasnt to be and with scrappy play ensuing omagh where somehow awarded a try because there player came in from an offside position and knocked the ball over the line. My understanding of the rules was that a try had to have controlled downward pressure to be given however the ref interpreted this as ball over line in omagh hand equals try. The conversion was again missed. We where really trying hard now but it just wasnt working. I even caught a pass thats how much of an effort was put in although it just wasnt to be. After this we had much fun joking around and drinking. Im sure a good night was had by all. |
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