Barnhall 42 V 7 Ards
 
Ards travelled to Dublin last Saturday for their third AIL match of the season to play Barnhall a side tipped for promotion having spent most of last season comfortably in the top four of the league. The match was played in perfect conditions, with bright sunshine, little or no wind and dry underfoot. It was the home team who scored first with a penalty after just 4 minutes from 30 metres out. Ards were soon into their stride however and struck back with a Mark Banford individual try just 10 minutes later. The forwards created the platform with strong ball carries from Rob McCausland and Gareth Quinn. The ball was passed quickly to Banford 35 metres out who came onto the pass at speed. With a wall of Defenders in front of him he cleverly chipped ahead and then ran on to beat the Barnhall fullback, securing the ball close to the try line and then run round under the posts for a fine score. He then slotted over the conversion to give Ards a 5-7 lead.
Ards had the majority of possession and territory for the next fifteen minutes and perhaps a little more composure and patience would have paid dividends. One example being, when Ards were encamped inside the Barnhall 22 metre line and a series of rucks and pick and goes took them to within 2 or 3 metres of the line only for the ball carrier to become isolated and turned over. Barnhall on the other hand took any opportunities that came their way and penalties in the 32nd and 38th minutes gave them a slender two point lead at half time. They had not really threatened the Ards try line in the first half and Ards were anticipating a close encounter in the second period.
In the first five minutes of the second half Ards were again on the front foot. The huge Barnhall pack were kept busy defending rucks as Ards were going forward deep in their territory. The referree then appeared to have signalled a penalty for offside in a ruck to Ards but then had to stop play for an injury to the Barnhall loose head prop. The player, Tim Nolan, had sustained a serious leg injury and play was stopped for a good 15 minutes while he received treatment on the pitch and was then taken off on a stretcher and on to hospital. Ards wish him a full and speedy recovery. Both teams left the pitch during this break in play and to the surprise of everyone the referree restarted play with a scrum to Ards rather than a penalty. Ards were unable to take any advantage and Barnhall soon cleared their lines with a long relieving kick. The break in play seemed to galvanise the home team and with a strong bench to call on the replacement prop and a change in the centre altered the dynamics of the game.
Barnhall played intelligent rugby kicking into the corners where their strong forwards were able to set up numerous mauls which Ards foung hard to counteract. From one such driving maul Barnhall scored a converted try in the 52nd minute to take a 16 -7 lead. This was quickly followed by a sharp backline move which opened up the Ards defence and the resulting try and conversion on 60 minutes put Barnhall 23 -7 in front and the whole game had a different complexion. Their pack now had the ascendancy in both lineout and scrum. In the final ten minutes the home side were in complete control and three further tries followed, two of which were converted to leave Barnhall worthy winners at 42-7. Ards must now pick themselves up as there is no respite in the All Ireland League and this week Connemara are the visitors to Hamilton Park for a vital game for both sides.

The Ards squad was: Millar, Quinn, Foster,McCausland, Broughall, Creighton, Lamb, Graham (Capt), Agnew, Banford, Burns, Young, Parkhill, Cox, J. Beggs, Dodd, Presho, Minis, N.Beggs, Taylor.