Saturday at Kerr Park saw Newry as the visitors. Holywood kicked off and immediately made their intentions known. From the first line-out, the ball went down the three-quarter line and Stevie Glover sprinted in under the posts for the first try. With the conversion successful, it was two minutes gone and 7 – 0 to Holywood. Newry tried to hit back, and from a Holywood tackle judged to be high, Newry had a penalty. From the resulting line-out, Newry took their own ball, but Holywood subsequently cleared the danger. Five minutes later, Holywood took a Newry line-out, the ball passed along the threes and No 14 Niel Ferguson chipped over and dived on the ball for a score - Holywood 12 - Newry 0. Three minutes later, a well driven loose maul by Holywood led to an identical chip over by Greg Brown and a touchdown on almost the same spot - Holywood 17 - Newry 0. Then on twenty minutes, slick passing down the line put winger Paul Foster in under the posts. With the conversion Holywood led 24 – 0. A further ten minutes later, after Holywood pressure leading to a penalty, Jamie Cooke darted in under the posts. With the conversion it was Holywood 31 - Newry 0. Holywood pack were now putting the Newry eight under tremendous pressure in the scrums and on the stroke of half-time the inevitable result was a pushover try. Half-time score Holywood 36 - Newry 0.
With the Holywood pack so dominant in the tight, and the backs running freely, another deluge of points was expected in the second-half, but it did not happen. Newry raised their game, and with Holywood seeming to lose their way a little, the first twenty five minutes were played around the centre of the pitch, with both sides making occasional visits to the opposition twenty two. There were also the occasional skirmish taking place on the pitch, but on seventy minutes, some good Holywood driving in the scrum pushed Newry back and Stevie Leyland ran in a try. The conversion was missed and it was Holywood 41 - Newry 0. Soon after, there was another personal altercation and the referee had had enough and yellow carded a player from each side. This seemed to galvanise Newry, who straight afterwards scored a good try. The remaining few minutes were played out and at the final whistle it was Holywood 41 - Newry 5.
Another good performance by Holywood - excellent in the first-half – less so in the second – and with a cup game at Civil Service next week, there is no reason why another handsome victory should not be on the cards.
