Sat 8 Jan 2022, 16:30
In the Trophy final it was Vagabonds who drew first blood. Luca Simmons made a half break in midfield and Ramsey were caught offside at the ensuing ruck. Simmons tapped the penalty quickly and drew a further ten metres which made the second penalty eminently kickable. The tee was brought on and he knocked the ball over for a 3-0 lead.
Ramsey soon hit their straps though and within three minutes they took the lead. Dan Richmond tapped a quick penalty inside the Vagas twenty-two, Josh Abley floated a long pass to the Ramsey try machine Brandon Atchison and he finished wide in the corner to put the favourites 5-3 in front. Their score was doubled within five minutes as the high tempo Ramsey game started to cause cracks in the defence. Second row Josh Corteen applied the finish wide on the right for his sixth of the season.
As the twenty-minute mark approached the Ramsey forwards had a go from a catch and drive line out. Jack Roberts secured the ball, but the defence held firm. Dan Richmond moved the ball to the back line and Dan Bonwick ploughed over from close range for the try. Richmond converted and the lead was extended to 17-3. Four minutes later Richmond made it 24-3. He weaved his way through some sloppy tackling for a neat solo try which he converted himself.
With seven to go in the first half, Ramsey killed the game off with two quick scores, aided by Vagas losing Chris Kay to the sin bin for ten minutes after he infringed following a team warning. The first came from some intense forward pressure at the line out. Vagas however defended well again and forced Ramsey to move the ball. Richmond fired a quick pass and Josh Abley picked it up off his bootlaces and powered in for his first score in the red jersey. Richmond again added the extras. From the restart Ramsey hooker Ben Hardman found a gap and surged downfield. He was felled just short of the line but had plenty of support. The ball was shipped quickly to the right where Dan Bonwick’s basketball offload found Ramsey skipper Matt Meechan who had chosen his moment to join the backline and Meechan finished with pace and power. Richmond converted and the half time whistle saw Ramsey 38-3 ahead.
Ten minutes into the second half Ramsey forged further ahead. Prop Adam Dunlop scooped up a dropped ball and ran in back under the Vagas posts from the halfway line. Richmond as ever added the conversion to make it 45-3. The Loosehead attributed his sprinting energy to not having to push in the scrums.
To Vagabonds’ credit, they kept playing and with a strong tailwind, they were able to keep Ramsey pinned back. Ryan De La Harpe and Luca Simmons both kicked well, Nathan Gibson carried well and Harri Wallis threatened in midfield. Collectively though their efforts couldn’t derail the Ramsey train and with fifteen to go they scored the final points of the game. Dan Bonwick linked up with Danny Howard down the right flank and they carved open the Vagas wide defence. When the move ran out of steam Ramsey captain Meechan had again chosen his moment to put a shoulder to the wheel and he ran in his second of the game which Richmond converted for a seventeen-point personal haul.
After receiving the Trophy from Manx Executive Committee member Peter Martin, Meechan paid tribute to his troops. He said “after training on Thursday night the lads were buzzing and I knew that a special performance was coming”.
Ramsey soon hit their straps though and within three minutes they took the lead. Dan Richmond tapped a quick penalty inside the Vagas twenty-two, Josh Abley floated a long pass to the Ramsey try machine Brandon Atchison and he finished wide in the corner to put the favourites 5-3 in front. Their score was doubled within five minutes as the high tempo Ramsey game started to cause cracks in the defence. Second row Josh Corteen applied the finish wide on the right for his sixth of the season.
As the twenty-minute mark approached the Ramsey forwards had a go from a catch and drive line out. Jack Roberts secured the ball, but the defence held firm. Dan Richmond moved the ball to the back line and Dan Bonwick ploughed over from close range for the try. Richmond converted and the lead was extended to 17-3. Four minutes later Richmond made it 24-3. He weaved his way through some sloppy tackling for a neat solo try which he converted himself.
With seven to go in the first half, Ramsey killed the game off with two quick scores, aided by Vagas losing Chris Kay to the sin bin for ten minutes after he infringed following a team warning. The first came from some intense forward pressure at the line out. Vagas however defended well again and forced Ramsey to move the ball. Richmond fired a quick pass and Josh Abley picked it up off his bootlaces and powered in for his first score in the red jersey. Richmond again added the extras. From the restart Ramsey hooker Ben Hardman found a gap and surged downfield. He was felled just short of the line but had plenty of support. The ball was shipped quickly to the right where Dan Bonwick’s basketball offload found Ramsey skipper Matt Meechan who had chosen his moment to join the backline and Meechan finished with pace and power. Richmond converted and the half time whistle saw Ramsey 38-3 ahead.
Ten minutes into the second half Ramsey forged further ahead. Prop Adam Dunlop scooped up a dropped ball and ran in back under the Vagas posts from the halfway line. Richmond as ever added the conversion to make it 45-3. The Loosehead attributed his sprinting energy to not having to push in the scrums.
To Vagabonds’ credit, they kept playing and with a strong tailwind, they were able to keep Ramsey pinned back. Ryan De La Harpe and Luca Simmons both kicked well, Nathan Gibson carried well and Harri Wallis threatened in midfield. Collectively though their efforts couldn’t derail the Ramsey train and with fifteen to go they scored the final points of the game. Dan Bonwick linked up with Danny Howard down the right flank and they carved open the Vagas wide defence. When the move ran out of steam Ramsey captain Meechan had again chosen his moment to put a shoulder to the wheel and he ran in his second of the game which Richmond converted for a seventeen-point personal haul.
After receiving the Trophy from Manx Executive Committee member Peter Martin, Meechan paid tribute to his troops. He said “after training on Thursday night the lads were buzzing and I knew that a special performance was coming”.
