Belfast Harlequins Website

After weeks of boasting about an undefeated record the 5th XV recorded their worst defeat in a long time. There is no doubt that we were without some of our regular players but it was a disgrace that those who played did so without the correct attitude. Put simply Holywood wanted it more than us.

Holywood turned up about an hour early (to good old Fortress Cherryvale) and did a warm-up session that most of our players would think was a heavy training session. Meanwhile we were still trying to piece together the availability of players and following a hectic week of selection problems we weren’t sure of our starting line up. All players managed to take the field on time and from the kick-off we actually looked the better side, with Marcus coming close to scoring and we were based mainly in their half. Their tactic seemed to be to spoil everything we did with some poor refereeing allowing them to get away with off sides, hands in rucks etc. However, a defensive error gave Holywood their first score completely against the run of play. Then followed another period of Quins domination but a resilient Holywood defence meant that we never crossed their line. Just before half time Holywood scored again which was again totally against the run of play when they intercepted a loose pass to touch down unimpeded.

At 0-12 at half time the game was still there for the taking but as the half-time team talk reminded us, a change of attitude was required. This change didn’t happen and soon Holywood had extended their lead. Around this stage Rob Calvert left the pitch to join Eddie who had gone off injured in the first half, whilst Marcus had already reverted from full-back to the blind wing as he was nursing a knee injury. To be fair Holywood seemed to lose one of their players but we were more exposed and our defence was too stretched and the game has turned into a damage limitation exercise for us. Darren McCartney then left the pitch with a back injury and by this stage Holywood were now scoring at will. All in all the tackling was farcical and the remaining players on the pitch let themselves down. Battered and bruised two further injuries were sustained with Kenny Webb tearing ligaments / tendons in his foot (out for 12 weeks) and Rob Dean tearing ligaments in his leg, to add to Darren’s back injury, Eddie’s dislocated shoulder, and Rob’s broken arm. Not a good day for the 5^th XV and one of our worst performances ever. Someone mentioned that the score finished at 0-38 but if it were officially recorded at more than 40 or 50 no one would be surprised.

Although there was only one hilarious calamity that received a nomination for Dick of the Day, there really were 15 DOTD’s on the pitch. However, Marcus yet again picked up this award for a first half blunder when he casually waited for the ball to roll towards him in his usual nonchalant manner, before letting the ball go straight through his legs. Following this nut megging he then recovered but with no dummies being bought this time he was unceremoniously thumped to the ground by a couple of incoming Holywood players – DOTD! Man of the match was almost impossible to even contemplate but Cooper and Stevie Uprichard did give 100% for the entire game and had reasonable performances and should jointly be credited as such.

Team: 1. Mark McCartney 2. Stevie Uprichard 3. Darren McCartney 4. Richard Cooper 5. Rob Dean 6. Eddie Wilson 7. Davey Vincent 8. Kenny Webb 9. Chris Magowan 10. Roger Gilpin 11. Ally McCulloch 12. Rob Calvert (capt.) 13. Andy Leitch 14. Pat Miscampbell 15. Marcus Cummings.

Man of the Match: Richard Cooper/Stevie Uprichard

Dick of the Day: Marcus Cummings

Back / Menu / Next