On Sunday 26 April 2009, Hull Ionians hosted the Yorkshire Cup finals at various age groups. I’s won at under 15s and in the finals held at Moortown, the under 19’s achieved a huge victory over Doncaster academy.
Hull Ionians under 16’s faced this years bogey team York, who have come from nowhere to having turned over some of the biggest clubs in the County this year.
I’s were at full strength other than the injured centre Torkington but a quick reshuffle resulted in a potentially lethal back line supporting a pack with a great deal of strength in depth.
York have this season made it their business to compete up front and turn over or spoil the ball wherever possible. The commitment and success of their pack being unrecognisable from years before. The game was therefore lined up for a giant clash.
Ionians started well and quickly ventured into the York half with a huge kick from Hammersley. There they remained for almost the whole of the half. A number of attacks created chances but points went begging as desperate York defence held firm or poor handling wasted golden opportunities.
For the first 20 minutes, Alex Griffiths and Elliot Hodges dominated the line outs and the resulting possession saw Isaac Green reach the line but held up, Henry Waine came close on several occasions and a telling break from scrum half Willingham led to nothing.
York held on and soon started to dominate the line outs and the scrums. Their ten man rugby however failed to pose a threat as I’s full back Sam Wilson dealt superbly with kick after kick. The half time whistle blew and York had the slight wind advantage. This combined with the Ionian’s failure to score in the first half could have given them the edge. A kickable penalty for York after 6 minutes could have given them the lead but as it sailed wide, Ionians came away with other ideas.
When skipper Danny Casson is on fire, Ionians always have the edge and despite the superb display from the York pack, Casson’s ability to steal the ball and cross the gain line created the opportunities for his team.
After 23 minutes, Ionians broke the deadlock with a superb passage of play starting with a Casson steal. As Josh Thundercliffe and Joe Midgeley combined for the first time in the game to breach the York defence, backs Green and Wilson both showed how to recycle the ball as it crossed from side to side. Slick handling then saw Henry Waine race onto the ball at unstoppable speed and a dramatic dive for the line in the corner resulted in 5 superb and desperately needed points.
As the game restarted, I’s looked favourites to score again but a series of penalties put them back into their 22 for a few tense moments. A combination of kicking and strong defence quickly moved them back into a position of strength but York’s defence held fast.
As the game reached a conclusion, Hammersley hit a spectacular drop goal to seal the victory and give the best team in Yorkshire the title for another 12 months.
The game was not the most entertaining and the rugby was only in part a demonstration of why Ionians have dominated the game in the region for so long but despite York’s lack of attacking flair, it was a huge contest up front and a game involving outstanding defence on both sides. York have grown unrecognisably this season and achieved some massive victories. Their resulting self belief added to commitment and their power in the pack tested I’s to the extreme. I’s however have an army of unsung heroes like Doris, Help, Carty, Rennard and Skelly as well as a lethal strike force led by Hammersley including the unstoppable Heylings, Wilson and Waine. A combination yet to be matched in the area.
1 comment:
Well done I's, the better team on the day won. I thought that your No7, Danny, had an outstanding match.
Very proud of what our boys have achieved this season and will start next season bigger, better and wiser!
Congrats to both teams for an absorbing final.
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