Championship 2: Carrickfergus 10 Academy 6 We caught up with this season's, opening week, Championship 2 fixture between Carrickfergus and Academy at Tom Simms Memorial Park on a damp Saturday afternoon. The constant drizzle and sometimes heavy rain together with a gusting wind ensured a scrappy start to the opening league fixture. Carrick's Ryan McGonigle powers to the line for the opening score. Carrick got their act together the quickest and David Carse came close to opening the scoring only to knock on as he trued to gather a loose ball.

#clubrugby #championship2

We also caught up with the Championship 2 opening weekend as our friends at #academyrfc travelled to #Carrickfergusrfc for another damp one!

McCrea Cup: Ballymoney 16 Carrickfergus 10 Final On Easter Monday afternoon, Ravenhill hosted a double header. First up was the McCrea Cup Final clash between Ballymoney and Carrickfergus. An early Paddy Carson penalty goal for Ballymoney was countered by a Dan Curley penalty strike for Carrick to leave the score tied at 3-3 in a tense opening quarter. Maaty Hadden, 6, storms over for Carrick's try A clever reverse pass by scrum half, Shane Kelly, created a gap for Matty Hadden to storm over, under the posts.

#clubrugby #cuprugby

Action from the #McCreaCup Final between #BallymoneyRFC and #CarrickfergusRFC at Ravenhill on Easter Monday.

Club U16 Plate: Carrickfergus 7 Instonians 12 We took in the 2nd games of a triple header at Meadowbank Arena, Magherafelt, when Carrick played Instonians in the Under 16 Plate Final. A large crowd watched the game in ideal sunny conditions. Aidan Notorantonio opened the scoring for Inst It was a free flowing 1st half, with attacks not frightened to throw the ball about. Defences were on top until moments before halftime, when Aidan Notorantonio crashed over for the opening score.

#clubrugby #cuprugby

We caught up with the club #U16PlateFinal between #InstoniansRFC and #CarrickfergusRFC at Meadowbank on Saturday morning.

Club U18 Bowl: Carrickfergus 12 Clogher Omagh 12 Final The last game at Meadowbank on Saturday was the Club U18 Bowl Final between Carrickfergus and a combined Clogher Valley and Omagh Academicals side. Yet again it as another extremely close match with both teams giving their all. I missed the opening exchanges but the combined Clogher and Omagh side opened the scoring about 15 minutes in when Oisin Hone scooped up a lose pass to battle over the line.

#clubrugby #cuprugby

The last game at Meadowbank on Saturday was the Club #U18Bowl Final between #CarrickfergusRFC and a combined #ClogherValleyRFC and #OmaghAcademicalsRFC side.

Junior Shield: Ards 13 Carrickfergus 17 Final It was grey, overcast, cold and windy, at the Kingspan Stadium on Saturday for the first game in a doubleheader, the Junior Shield Final between Ards and Carrickfergus. A cold crosswind blew across the pitch. Ards found themselves under pressure but cleared their lines and lost an early scoring chance with a missed penalty.

#clubrugby #cuprugby

We have action from Saturday's #JuniorShield final between #ArdsRFC and #CarrickfergusRFC at Ravenhill.

U14 Leona Harper Cup: ACDC Combined 14 Banbridge 12 I's been a while since I've covered a girls U14 rugby game but this one was a treat as a combined Ards, Carrickfergus, Donaghadee and Civil Service side entertained Banbridge in the U14 Leona Harper Cup quarter final match. Eva Wilkinson opens the scoring for the combined side. The combined side were playing in Civil Service colours and they took the lead after a busy start as Eva Wilkinson battled to the line for the opening try.

#clubrugby #cuprugby

Our big match of the weekend was the U14 Leona Harper Cup match between a combined #ArdsRFC, #CarrickfergusRFC, #DonaghadeeRfC and #civilServiceRFC against #BanbridgeRFC at Stormont on Sunday.

Championship 2: Carrickfergus 17 Academy 8 I caught up with the Championship 2 league match between Carrick and Academy at a cold and windy Tom Simms Park on Saturday afternoon. I thought I'd give it a go sitting at the end the wind was blowing towards to catch the bulk of the action but as it turned out both teams defended well against the elements and most of the action was at the top end of the pitch.

#clubrugby

We caught up with the #Championship2 clash between #CarrickfergusRFC and #AcademyRFC at Tom Simms Park on Saturday afternoon.