Ophir pick up first league points of season
OPHIR First XV picked up their first Qualifying League points of the season with a comfortable 18-7 win over Armoy at The Cottonmount on Saturday afternoon.
Welcoming back several key players who had missed last weekend's heavy defeat in Letterkenny, the Mallusk side took charge of the game from the outset.
A penalty from winger Willy Cully gave the home side the lead, and when prop Gareth Kerr crossed for a try a few minutes later Ophir were well in control. Cully converted to make it 10-0 at the break.
An injury to back row forward Ivan Girvan forced Ophir to play with 14 men for the second 40 minutes, but that didn't stop them asserting their dominance early in the half. Good handling between forwards and backs led to scrum-half Karl Davies going over for a well-deserved score.
The conversion was missed, but Cully was back on form a few minutes later when he landed a penalty to leave Ophir 18-0 ahead.
The big Armoy side responded well in the final quarter and enjoyed long periods of pressure in the Ophir half. With 15 minutes left they got their just reward with a converted try, but despite piling on more pressure in the dying minutes they couldn't break Ophir's valiant 14-man defence.
This weekend Ophir First XV have no match, but will return to action on September 29 with a home game against Strabane.
Ophir Seconds, who had no game at the weekend, will travel to Randalstown for a Minor League fixture this Saturday.
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Weather for Newtownabbey
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 22 C
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