Carrick‑on‑Shannon U14s travelled to Ballina on Sunday afternoon for their Plate semi‑final, played in beautiful sunshine and in front of a lively crowd.
Carrick enjoyed plenty of possession in the early exchanges and started with real intent, but it was Ballina who struck first, crossing for a converted try. A subsequent try‑saving tackle resulted in a penalty, extending the home side’s lead, before a well‑taken intercept try saw Ballina move 17–0 ahead. Carrick responded positively, showing greater directness in attack and targeting soft shoulders and were rewarded with a well‑worked converted try. However, Ballina hit back quickly to restore control, and the visitors went into the break trailing 22–7 despite having shown encouraging signs.
Ballina scored early in the second half after Carrick failed to exit cleanly from their own scrum. Undeterred, Carrick dug deep and began to play their best rugby of the afternoon. Improved ball retention in the tackle, sharper running lines and better decision‑making saw Carrick produce three high‑quality converted tries, swinging the momentum dramatically. With minutes remaining, Carrick deservedly edged into the lead at 28–27, setting up a thrilling finish. Unfortunately, it was not to be Carrick’s day. Ballina regrouped and responded with a well‑worked converted try of their own. Carrick threw everything into a late comeback, but a resolute Ballina defence held firm to secure a 34–28 victory.
This marked the final game of the season for the Carrick‑on‑Shannon U14s, who can take huge pride in their performance, character and progress throughout the year. We wish Ballina RFC and Galway Bay RFC the very best of luck in the final.
