Soroka Brothers Steer Clontarf To First Energia Bateman Cup Title

ENERGIA BATEMAN CUP FINAL:

Saturday, December 13 –

CLONTARF 21 BALLYNAHINCH 16, Castle Avenue
Scorers: Clontarf: Tries: Penalty try, Alex Soroka, Ivan Soroka; Cons: Pen try con, Conor Kelly 2
Ballynahinch: Try: Tom McAllister; Con: Conor Rankin; Pens: Conor Rankin 3
HT: Clontarf 7 Ballynahinch 16

Ballynahinch did everything they could to recapture the winning feeling of the club’s famous 2009 All-Ireland Cup triumph. They led for 75 minutes of a game that doubled up as an Energia All-Ireland League fixture and this season’s Bateman Cup decider.

However, Clontarf, who trailed 13-0 at one stage having played into the wind in the first half, made up for their 2015 final loss thanks to converted tries from Leinster’s Alex Soroka (60 minutes) and his older brother Ivan (76).

It was a forwards-dominated contest on Castle Avenue’s all-weather pitch, and Andy Wood’s men eventually prevailed to add the Bateman Cup to their league title from last season, while also hitting the summit after St. Mary’s College had earlier lost to Lansdowne.

The unerring Conor Rankin landed three penalties and converted Ulster Academy prop Tom McAllister’s 22nd-minute try, giving a wind-backed Ballynahinch a deserved 16-7 half-time lead.

Clontarf had the Leinster quartet of Alex Soroka, Alex Usanov, Niall Smyth, and Alan Spicer starting in a hulking pack. Their maul forced a penalty try, five minutes before the break, which saw ‘Hinch captain Claytan Milligan sin-binned.

Alex Soroka made up for a near miss by driving over to close the gap to 16-14. ‘Hinch defended manfully but could not hold out, with Joe Charles’ yellow card preceding replacement Ivan Soroka’s decisive score, which Conor Kelly converted.

The result means Clontarf become the sixth different club to win the Bateman Cup since it was reintroduced in 2010/11. They keep the trophy in the hands of a Dublin club after victories in recent years for Terenure College and Lansdowne.

It was a bitterly disappointing finish for Ballynahinch who took their points well and managed to frustrate a much-fancied ‘Tarf. Queen’s University remain the last Ulster winners of the Bateman Cup in 1937. ‘Hinch will face Instonians in the Ulster Senior Cup final in two weeks’ time.

Play was confined to in and around the halfway line until prop Smyth made a bustling carry towards Ballynahinch’s 22. His fellow forwards, and Peter Maher, gained further ground, but Bradley Luney slammed the door shut with a textbook turnover penalty.

‘Hinch took the lead in the ninth minute, as Clontarf offered them access with a couple of penalties. When scrum half Chris Gibson was interfered with at the back of a ruck, Rankin stepped up to plant a terrific long-range kick through the posts.

When the swirling wind caused trouble for Hugo Lennox who knocked on a high ball, the County Down outfit threatened out wide. Aaron Sexton drew a penalty, and despite their maul failing to launch, the visitors carried up closed before Ryan Connolly was held up.

Apart from Tadhg Bird’s well-won penalty, Clontarf continued to fail foul of referee Andrew Fogarty’s whistle. They paid the price for that when McAllister burrowed over from a close-in ruck, rewarding strong carrying beforehand from Milligan and influential centre Matthew Booth.

Rankin’s reliable right boot added the conversion for good measure, and Ballynahinch also gained confidence from their improved scrum, an area they struggled in against St. Mary’s last week. Their full-back stepped up to reward the set-piece, making it 13-0.

Ballynahinch breathed a big sigh of relief when Clontarf thought they had scored from a Paul Kerr fumble. ‘Hinch had done the hard work, Sexton getting his hands on a ‘Tarf lineout that had gone loose, before a tight call went the Ulstermen’s way.

Nonetheless, Clontarf’s maul was making inroads past the half-hour mark. A big drive was brought down illegally by ‘Hinch right on their own try-line, resulting in a penalty try and the loss of Milligan to the sin bin.

It was a telling response from Adam Craig’s charges, though, as Rankin picked up three more points from a sloppy penalty conceded by Alex Soroka. Nine points was the difference, and everyone was wondering would it be enough with ‘Tarf turning around with the elements in their favour.

The north Dubliners opened the second half with their forwards on top. Alex Soroka stretched out for the line, the match officials adjudging that he did not get the grounding before losing the ball forward. ‘Hinch could not exit with the pressure still on their defence.

A scrappy spell saw them dig deep, continuing to make things messy for the reigning league champions and getting Milligan back on the pitch with the scoreboard still showing 16-7. Experienced prop Ivan Soroka joined his sibling Alex in the ‘Tarf pack.

The Bulls’ pressure eventually paid off on the hour mark, with a couple of scrum penalties putting ‘Hinch right back on their own line. The younger of the Sorokas muscled his way over for Kelly to convert to the left of the posts, reducing the arrears to just two points.

Replacement Charlie Ward got in at the breakdown to win a penalty on halfway, as the home side made their way back into scoring range. They turned down a kickable penalty for the lead, the scrum option not paying off before Luney claimed a vital turnover.

It looked a poor decision from ‘Tarf, and when Kelly attempted a subsequent penalty back near halfway, he missed the kick to the left. ‘Hinch were giving away too many infringements, though, and Wood’s side capitalised late on.

Ballynahinch replacement Charles was caught lifting a leg when defending a maul, earning a costly yellow. His team-mates stood up well to the subsequent drive, but ‘Tarf’s pick-and-goes chipped away before Ivan Soroka, with Fionn Gilbert on the latch, crashed over the whitewash.

With Kelly tagging on an important conversion, the hosts’ recent experience of national finals was evident. They defended a ‘Hinch maul inside their own 22, and followed up with a clinching scrum penalty after replacement Declan Adamson’s breakdown work had forced a knock-on.

TIME LINE: 9 minutes – Ballynahinch penalty: Conor Rankin – 0-3; 22 mins – Ballynahinch try: Tom McAllister – 0-8; conversion: Conor Rankin – 0-10; 26 mins – Ballynahinch penalty: Conor Rankin – 0-13; 35 mins – Clontarf try: Penalty try & conversion – 7-13; Ballynahinch yellow card: Claytan Milligan; 39 mins – Ballynahinch penalty: Conor Rankin – 7-16; Half-time – Clontarf 7 Ballynahinch 16; 60 mins – Clontarf try: Alex Soroka – 12-16; conversion: Conor Kelly – 14-16; 72 mins – Clontarf penalty: missed by Conor Kelly – 14-16; 75 mins – Ballynahinch yellow card: Joe Charles; 76 mins – Clontarf try: Ivan Soroka – 19-16; conversion: Conor Kelly – 21-16; Full-time – Clontarf 21 Ballynahinch 16

CLONTARF: Hugo Lennox; Ross Deegan, Alex O’Grady, Tadhg Bird, Peter Maher; Conor Kelly, Sam Owens; Alex Usanov, Dylan Donnellan (capt), Niall Smyth, Fionn Gilbert, Alan Spicer, Alex Soroka, Aaron Coleman, Jordan Coghlan.

Replacements: Declan Adamson, Ivan Soroka, Paul Deeny, Michael Moloney, Mark O’Sullivan, Charlie Ward.

BALLYNAHINCH: Conor Rankin; Adam Bennett, Pierce Crowe, Matthew Booth, Aaron Sexton; Paul Kerr, Chris Gibson; Matthew Burke, Claytan Milligan (capt), Tom McAllister, Declan Horrox, Ryan Connolly, Zack McCall, Reuben Crothers, Bradley Luney.

Replacements: Josh Hanlon, John Dickson, Joe Charles, Stephen Campbell, Jon Rodgers, Ruairi Meharg.

Referee: Andrew Fogarty (IRFU)