Ballymena 9 – 9 Dungannon 1XV
On what would be described by the locals as a dreach afternoon the two Ulster teams propping the Ulster Bank League fought out a predictably tight battle. Ballymena fullback Timothy Small struck two penalties to put the Braidmen 6-0 ahead at halftime. Dungannon struck back in the second half through Stewart McCloskey and the game ended honours even at fulltime. Dungannon, playing against the wind and showing ten changes from last Saturday, kicked off. Ballymena with out half Martin Irwin pulling the strings kept Gannon in their own half allowing Ballymena to dominate the first quarter but the Dungannon defence comfortably held them out. However Dungannon were fortunate; after Ballymena broke out of defence when the ball was hacked into the Dungannon twenty-two it trundled into touch rather than sit up for the chasing Stirling. Dungannon subsequently failed to clear their lines and under pressure concede a penalty. Timothy Small converted to put the Host club ahead. 3 – 0. Three minutes later following a Ballymena kick ahead some indecisiveness by Dungannon allowed Ballymena wing Alan Smyth to collect the ball and race towards the line. It took the combined efforts of James Bates and Christopher Cochrane to stop the attack two metres short of the Dungannon line. When the whistle blew Ballymena were awarded a penalty and Chris Cochrane a yellow card. Timothy Small converted the resultant penalty on twenty-two minutes. 6 – 0. The restart kick was carried out by the wind and to compound this setback Dungannon were penalised for offside shortly after. Fortunately the kick went wide. Dungannon’s James McMahon then made ground up field supported by Mark Jenkinson and Stuart McCloskey. When Declan Fitzpatrick straightened up the line Ballymena were penalised but Stuart McCloskey was well wide with the penalty attempt.
The second half started with a Mark O’Shea run up field. Dungannon were a more cohesive unit now and when a Ballymena player was indiscreet ref Conway awarded a penalty that Stuart McCloskey converted from forty-five metes out. 6 – 3. Dungannon went on the attack when James McMahon, Phil Whyte and Glen Sinnamon took play up to the Ballymena twenty-two. Ballymena broke out of defence and when awarded a penalty Irwin put the ball into touch five metres short of the Dungannon line. Dungannon resisted the attack and James Bates engineered a drive that took Dungannon up to the Ballymena twenty-two. Again Ballymena came away and when awarded a penalty on the hour Timothy Small was successful putting Ballymena six points ahead. 9 – 3. Dungannon now upped their game again and following some sustained forward pressure were deprived of a try when Gary Maxwell was adjudged to have put an elbow in touch as he dived over the line. Ballymena’s Small missed a difficult penalty but from now on it was all Dungannon. Stuart McCloskey kicked a good penalty before Gary Maxwell was sent to the bin. James Bates and Steven Sinnamon took play back into the Ballymena twenty-two. On seventy minutes Stuart McCloskey kicked a splendid penalty from close to the ten metre line to level the score at 9- 9. Gannon renewed the assault. Glen Sinnamon was stopped a metre short and although they kept up the pressure they were disappointed when ref Conway blew for a scrum and then after consulting his watch blew for time. A disappointing outcome for both sides but a fair result overall. Ballymena had the better of the first half and Dungannon were best in the second half. The next round of all Ireland games is now vital for both Clubs.
Team: Mark O’Shea. Darren Simpson, Stuart McCloskey, Paul Magee, Christopher Cochrane. Jaryd Bennett, James Bates. Glen Sinnamon, Phil Whyte, Declan Fitzpatrick. Plunkett McCallan, Mark Jenkinson (capt). Michael Dunleavy, James McMahon, Tim Smith. Seven Sinnamon, Mark Farquhar, Gary Maxwell, Richard Holmes, David Egner
Dungannon 2XV 10 – 9 Carrick
Dungannon are through to the second round of the Powerade Towns’ Cup but it took a dramatic finish and converted try to turn things around after trailing by six points for most of the second half. Out-half, Jake Finlay was Dungannon’s hero adding the seven points to win following a late surge by the Dungannon pack. Visitors, Carrick looked shell-shocked at the finish and well they might after a trio of penalties from Karl Wilkinson seemed to be enough going into injury time. It was a dark and gloomy afternoon at Stevenson Park when Carrick kicked off amidst the pouring rain. The floodlights helped to brighten the scene but a plethora of penalties left little chance for constructive rugby. Jake Finlay opened the scoring with a well judged penalty on eight minutes before Wilkinson levelled matters in similar fashion two minutes later. For Dungannon, Paul McCarroll was excelling in the lineout while the front row of Charlie Sargaison, Paul Jackson and Sean O’Hagan looked rock solid at scrum time. However, it was Carrick who forged ahead midway through the half. A good lineout take and drive from Ross Marsden ended with a penalty award converted by Wilkinson. A timely clearance from Gareth Graham saw Dungannon pinged for offside three minutes later but this time Wilkinson shot wide. Elsewhere, Carrick were keeping in touch with some good line kicking from Andy McIlroy and when he drilled a ball close to the corner Carrick had the misfortune to lose a lock to the ‘bin’ after he had taken a good catch and drive. The half ended with a good back line run from Dungannon and when the ball went into touch a rather dour first half finished at 3-6.
Wilkinson stretched the Carrick lead with his third penalty on forty-two minutes. Dungannon retorted and when Carrick failed to field a Finlay chip ahead an obvious advantage was dashed by the referee’s whistle. Minutes later a notable break from Mark Faloon was checked by the Carrick defence. Steven Rodgers then took a lineout and when Andrew Caddoo fielded an ‘up and under’ the Carrick line looked threatened. Alas, a kick ahead ended in a drop out. At the other end Wilkinson went close with a penalty on fifty-seven minutes. Dungannon stepped up a gear in the final quarter but the Carrick defence stood firm despite midfield bursts from Finlay and Faloon. In the final quarter it was the Dungannon pack that made ground, when a quickly taken free saw Paul Jackson go close to the Carrick line. Several carries of the ball were repulsed until Charlie Sargaison flipped the ball up for Jake Finlay to score close to the posts. The same player poked home the conversion to leave Dungannon winners by a single point. What a finish!
Team: Gareth Graham. Jonny Toal, Peter Cashel, Mark Faloon, Alan Cummings. Jake Finlay, Richard Wright, Charlie Sargaison, Paul Jackson, Sean O’Hagan. Adam Booth, Paul McCarroll. Simon Potter, Andrew Caddoo, Stephen Rodgers. Daniel Maxwell, Owen Mallon.
