The snow stopped, the frost cleared and Hinch 3rds headed North-West through the lifting fog to play Limavady’s experienced 2nds in the first round of the Crawford Cup. With the Hinch men not having played for 7 weeks, with very few training sessions and Christmas behind them, they expected a tough game.

Robbie Irvine kicked the match off and Limavady started strongly with a number of pick-and-go phases. Hinch got progressively sucked in and quick hands through the Limavady back line created an overlap allowing the winger to touch down to the right of the posts. With the conversion sailing between the uprights Limavady took a 7-0 advantage.

Following a number of handling errors Hinch bounced back with a try of their own, when out-half Irvine created a gap, ran through and off-loaded to the supporting Pete Bell who stepped inside the cover defence to score under the posts. Irvine added the 2 points to make it 7-7.

Hinch were awarded a penalty outside their 22 and, with Irvine’s kick giving them a line-out inside the Limavady 22, the Hinch pack took full advantage of the ground gained. A good catch-and-drive saw Calvin Morton drive over for Hinch’s 2nd try. Irvine added the 2 points giving Hinch the upper hand 14-7.

Limavady came close to levelling the match but just couldn’t get through the Hinch defence. The visitors responded well and made their way into the Limavady half where they carried out a training ground move resulting in Tommy Turner going through the gap to touch down close to the posts. Irvine obliged with 2 more points and half time saw Hinch leading 21-7.

With life-giving water on board and a team talk from captain Davy Martin, Hinch lifted their game. Gareth Murdock and Alan Dickson made ground up the middle of the park, setting up a number of phases. Tommy Turner got his 2nd try when quick ball from the

forwards hit him on the charge and, with Limavady men climbing all over him, he powered over the line. Irvine again obliged with 2 more points. 28-7

From the kick-off the Hinch pack took the ball cleanly and set up quick ball for the backs who threw it along the line to give Andy Barr room to round his opposite

number, skip past the cover defence and off-load to the supporting Fletch, who legged it down the touch line to score in the corner. Irvine casually middled the ball through the posts. 35-7.

Limavady managed to secure the ball for a short period but when their No.10 kicked over the Hinch back-line straight to full back Bell he wasted no time in finding a gap, executing a clean switch with Irvine and standing back to admire the sprint to the line. Irvine converted his own try to take the score to 42-7.

With only a few minutes left on the clock, Hinch were hungry for another try. The forwards and backs linked well and, when the ball was passed cleanly along the backs to the flying Wayne Hughes, he headed for the line. Running out of room he chipped the ball over the opposition, out-paced his man, kicked ahead again and gratefully collected a kind bounce to score in the corner.

Even the referee joined in the fun by questioning Irvine’s ability to make it 7 out of 7 kicks especially from the ‘wrong’ touch but Hinch’s kicker calmly slotted it cleanly through the middle to bring his personal tally to 19 points

Final score 49-7. Crawford Cup round 2, here we come.