ARMAGH RETAIN SONI ULSTER PREMIERSHIP

2 May 2018 by City of Armagh Rugby Club

City of Armagh have retained the SONI Ulster Rugby Premiership with a win over Malone at Gibson Park on Tuesday evening.

Malone 14 City of Armagh 21

City of Armagh headed to Gibson Park knowing a losing bonus point would be enough to retain their SONI Ulster Rugby Premiership title.

Malone, who needed four tries, turned down a kickable penalty in the early stages and took a scrum in the 22. Nathan Brown made a surging break and put full back Mark O’Connor under the posts with Rory Campbell converting.

The sides were level on 23 minutes as Armagh hit back with a converted try as number 8 Robert Whitten powered through two tackles to touch down, with out-half Cormac Fox adding the extra two points.

Two minutes before the break Armagh took the lead with their second try. Following some good work by their pack, winger Andrew Willis was released to score in the corner, with Fox’s conversion giving Armagh a 14-7 lead at the interval.

Armagh started the second half brighter but were unable to extend their lead. Malone responded but spurned a good scoring opportunity on the hour mark when they were unable to capitalise from a lineout deep inside the Armagh 22.

Malone finally made their possession and territory count on 75 minutes when the referee awarded a penalty try from a powerful scrum inside the Armagh 22.

From the restart Armagh wrapped up the game and the title, turning over Malone inside the 22 for flanker Andy Smyth to score, with Fox adding another conversion.

The Stevenson Shield will now head back to the Palace Grounds once again, rounding off a fantastic year for City of Armagh who also won the First Trust Senior Cup and secured a second successive promotion to Division 1B of the Ulster Bank League.

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