The u18 season kicked off today with the self dubbed as 'Donaghards', bringing historical rivals and geographical neighbours, Ards and Donaghadee, together in the interest of rugby, competing together in the Ulster Rugby U18 Division 3 East league.

After just two training sessions together and having just 13 available for this match, the Donaghards men were up against it and if anything, the dismal weather may have saved the blushes of the home team with the Dee/Ards team unable to use their speedy, (and complete) back line while our 6 forwards kept the 8 of Instonians well contained.

With Instonians kicking off, Donaghards had the chance to attack from the off, with some big carries from Thompson, Press and McCaw in the forwards, while Causby and Taylor marshalled the team well.

A closely fought first quarter was played, with both teams adjusting to the weather conditions before the dangerous Instonians 15 made a fantastic break from his own 22, proceeding up the left wing and doting down for the opening score late in the first half.

Half time 7-0

The half time team talk was all positive, with coaches and players alike positive about, not just containing a team with 2 more players to 1 score, but our own attacking potential, the working relationships that were building and more impressively, the 6 men of Ards/Dee having a vastly dominant scrum. The one disappointment came with the influential McCaw not returning to the field of play due to an injury sustained late in the first half.

The second half kicked off with Instonians now 3 men to the better, yet still unable to capitalize, with Spiers, Mason and Lusty putting in a huge defensive shift up against the Instonians pack, more than backed up by their half backs who were doing a great impression of auxiliary back rowers in the defensive phases. Some indiscipline however found Ards/Dee defending their own line, Instonians managed to get over the line for their second, this time out wide.

Donaghards had been working well as a team to hold the home team well, but when your luck's out, nothing seems to go your way. This time, losing yet another player to injury, with Steele who had looked dangerous with bal in hand when given the chance, taking a knock and having to leave the pitch.
Now down to 11 and with others starting to feel the toll of having played the whole game down numbers, then conceding a third, it looked to all the world, that the game would either become one way traffic, or be abandoned, but to their enormous credit the men from the Peninsula didn't quit. Instead, they went on the offensive, McVea, Nixon and McDowell finding gaps out wide while Thompson took the more direct route, sending would be tacklers bouncing. Some good support work, coupled with tidy ball presentation allowed Donaghards to set up camp on the Instonians' line for what seemed like an age, but in reality was more like 3 or 4 phases, culminating with Causby getting over the whitewash from a clever snipe from the base of a ruck. Game on!

To everyone's surprise, the next big opportunity came from an expertly measured cross-field kick from Taylor finding Burnham in space on the right with an opportunity to show off his impressive pace. To his credit however,his opposite number didn't give up on it and managed to make a great, last ditch challenge just 3m from the line with Burnham being bundled into touch.
From the resulting lineout, a great defensive effort saw the Instonians half backs play a dangerous game, taking the ball back into their own goal area, but their talisman in No8 somehow managed to get his hands on the ball, break a tackle and find himself in a world of space with 100m Infront of him and every other player in the pitch behind him! A terrific defensive effort from Causby and McVeigh saw the Instonian tracked down on the half way line and play slowed down. It was however to be his day with Instonians No8 bullied his way over the line a few minutes later to seal the victory for the men from Shaw's Bridge.

26-5.

Before the match, the key messages from coaches Nelson, Brotchie and Wallace was about enjoyment and respect; playing for the badge on the shirt, regardless of which kit being worn, and for the player by your side and the lads could not have put any more effort into that today.
Walking off the pitch, each one 10ft tall with smiled on their faces, the lads did themselves, their clubs and their TEAM proud.

Next week sees our first home match of the season v Bangor, in Donaghadee with training taking place in Ards this Wednesday night.

The venue for training and home matches will alternate between Hamilton Road and Donaldson Park for the U18s this season, while players will alternate the match shirts they wear.
What will not change however, is the passion and pride this group of young men will show on the pitch every time they take to it, regardless of the colour or badge on the shirt that they wear.