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In the Second Fifteen League Ballynahinch Seconds,
with a 100% record, finished well clear of their nearest
challengers Ballymena Seconds.
Despite the presence of four A.I.L. Second Fifteens
in the revamped Junior League, the Section One
champions and winners of the Harden Cup were
Ballynahinch Thirds who were chased all the way by
Omagh Seconds.
The winners of the other Junior Sections were
Ballynahinch Fourths, Portadown Seconds,
Ballynahinch Fifths and Belfast Harlequins Thirds, who
fished joint top of Junior Four, Carrickfergus Thirds with
nineteen wins from nineteen games and Dungannon
Fourths.
In the three Minor League Sections, the victors were
Ballymoney Fourths, Clogher Valley Thirds and
Ballynahinch Sevenths, the fifth Ballynahinch side to win
its league.
A complete listing of all league tables has been
reproduced later in the report.
Domestic Cup Competitions
Ulster’s two highest ranked A.I.L. clubs met in the final
of the First Trust Senior Cup. In a closely fought match,
Ballynahinch defended the trophy which they had won
last season, defeating Ballymena by nineteen points to
ten at the Kingspan Stadium.
Two nights previously, in an even tighter affair, Bangor
had squeezed home by only two points against holders
Instonians in the final of the Millar McCall Wylie Junior
Cup, also played under the Kingspan lights. The
closeness of this result, added to the fact that Instonians
beat Bangor in both of their league matches before
progressing to the Ulster Bank All Ireland Cup final,
provided ample evidence that there was very little to
choose between the two sides.
The Powerade Towns Cup, played at the Kingspan
Stadium on its traditional Eater Monday in front of an
excellent crowd, was also won by Bangor. Underdogs
and surprise finalists Enniskillen, from Qualifying Two,
looked to be down and out at half time. However,
showing tremendous character, and no small amount
of skill, they staged a fantastic second-half comeback
and were only trailing by six points when the referee
drew an end to proceedings, much to the relief of the
large Bangor support. If ever there was a game which
showed that Qualifying Rugby is alive and well, this was
it. Congratulations to both sides.
The following week, Cooke, losing finalists the previous
season, recorded a 29-22 victory against Malone
Seconds to win the McCrea Cup in another very
entertaining game.
For the third time in as many seasons, the Qualifying
Three champions reached the final of the Gordon West
Cup, and for the third time in succession they lost.
Lurgan, who had finished sixty points behind Limavady
in the league, shocked the league champions and
defending cup holders by coming from behind to win a
thrilling match by 32-31.
In the final of the Crawford Cup, Section One side
Ballynahinch Thirds proved much too strong for
Banbridge Thirds from Section Two, while in the final
of the Plate another Ballynahinch side, their Fourths,
but up a creditable performance before going down to
Omagh Seconds by only six points.
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