AGS Rugby - 1st XV Bowl Qualifier
Antrim Grammar hosted Our Lady & St Patrick's Knock in the first group game of the new School's Bowl Rugby Competition.
The first ten minutes of the game were highly contested with very little separating the two sides.
The visitors got their act together after fifteen minutes with their winger touching down in a wide position to open the scoring. The OLSP out-half knocked over the conversion from the touch line making the score 7-0. AGS came back fighting for the next 10 minutes but a lack of concentration lead to OLSP taking 12 – 0 lead when their winger again slid in from out wide.
AGS looked to their physical pack for a response and they found it just before the half time break with Jack Maguire claiming the try after a period of pressure on the visitors try line. The try went unconverted and the teams changed ends with Antrim trailing 5 -12.
OLSP squandered a couple of guilt edge chances at the start of the second half and were somewhat fortunate to get their next score. A speculative grubber looked to be comfortably dealt with until a slip allowed the chasing winger to dive on the ball for his second score. The fly-half converted to open up a 5 – 19 lead.
However, AGS came storming back within minutes and should have been awarded a penalty try for a high tackle. As it was, a botched clearance by OLSP allowed Adam Carville to drop on the ball beside the posts for their second score. Ross Mackay added the conversion and it was game on at 12 – 19.
AGS continued to press and they set up a nervy finale with Ryan Armstrong coming up with the ball at the bottom of a pile up on the OLSP line to take the score to 17 – 19 with about five minutes remaining.
The visitors kept their composure and forced AGS to attack from deep, one occasion coughing up a penalty for OLSP which the fly-half converted to give the visitors their 17 – 22 win.