Dungannon snatch last gasp win

Ballymoney's 2nd XV hosted league leaders Dungannon 2s on Saturday, inthe Provincial Premier League 2nd Division. With both sides unbeaten so far a tough game was anticipated by many of the watching crowd.

For the opening 20 minutes Ballymoney were on top, getting out of the blocks with good discipline and set pieces, accurate kicking for territory by Linton and Watson, and strong running in attack.

The first try came from pressure on the Dungannon half backs, a charged down kick bobbling through Millar to Currie, who scampered over from short range. Currie would go on to have an excellent match, handling a very experienced opposition scrum and making an impact around the field.

A second try followed shortly after, when Aaron Brown looked to have broken through only for the whistle to go in error, but from the ensuing scrum good work from the front row allowed Mulholland to pick with some momentum, and step inside the defender to stretch for the line.

Unfortunately this was to be Millar's last action of the game, but his injury brought about a welcome return to the side for Russell Blair, although perhaps a little earlier than expected!

With neither conversion made, the score was only 10-0 after 20 minutes of pressure. Then some mistake and ill discipline crept in - and soon enough Dungannon were in for their first score of the day. A series of penalties and short plays brought the space to wriggle through and dot down, converted for 10-7 at half time.

Shortly after half time Dungannon went ahead, a clearance kick fielded by the right winger, who wriggled and danced his through 4 or 5 defenders before scoring in the corner.

But Ballymoney fought back, with breaks from Murdoch and Brown, and a series of penalties going their way. Eventually Chris Watson appeared at pace onto a short ball and crashed over for the third try. Hawthorne converted this time for a 17-12 lead.

The last 20 minutes were a tense affair - a red card for the visiting centre for an apparent kick, followed shortly after by a yellow for Watson in the home centre for a high tackle left both teams with 14 men and only a try in it.

As the game drew to an end, Dungannon were camped in the Ballymoney half. A sequence of strong carries and good ball retention eventually led to a try in the last movement of the game. And with the conversion sailing through the uprights, the away side went in front just on the final whistle, to their huge relief, winning the game 17-19.

Reflecting on the game, Ballymoney's co-captain Neal Mulholland was philosophical. "Those are the games that decide the season. While there was a lot of good play today, some ill discipline and poor execution let a game slip away that we feel we really should have won. But Dungannon are a very good side, credit to them for coming back and getting the score at the end. We look forward to the return match at their place towards the end of the season - they'll be favourites for the league now so we'll need to get back on track in the next fixture at Omagh in a couple of weeks."