Ards thirds defeated Bangor thirds 46-7 in their North Down derby at Hamilton Park on Friday night. The match was the opening fixture of the season for both teams.

Ards scored first through Adam Coulter in the corner, following a break by Thomas Dolaghan. Ross Torney added a second try after sustained pressure and a lineout drive.

Nathan Newbond scored under the posts on his debut, with Chris McClure converting to make the halftime score 17-0.

Bangor opened the second half with a try in the corner, closing the gap to 17-7. Newbond was shown a yellow card for a high tackle, and Ryan Gilmore, making his competitive senior debut, left the field through injury.

Ards responded with further tries from Mark Banford, Michael Taylor, and Joel Clark, with McClure adding conversions and a penalty. The final score was 46-7.

Three players made their senior debuts for Ards: Nathan Newbond, Ryan Gilmore, and 18-year-old Luke Miller.