2s go top with win over Omagh

Omagh's 3rd XV visited Ballymoney 2nds on Saturday, with the visitors having won the first encounter earlier in the year, but the home side pushing Dungannon hard at the top of the table.

The match opened with a minute's silence for club legend Tom Skelton, such a big part of the club's history, and very much in the players' thoughts on the day.

Attacking towards the clubhouse, the Toon men were determined to avenge the earlier defeat. And with Matthew Blair and Andrew Stevenson returning to the pack, a strong forwards platform was expected.

And sure enough the strength up front paid off early, with a couple of strong early tackles from Stevenson driving his man back and setting the tone, before a big hit from Linton dislodged the ball, and the follow up ruck creating the space for Harry Orr to break up the right. With John Gilkinson then running close on the left, the visitors were penalised close to the line. And after a few tight drives were repelled, eventually Jonny McMullan, in the centre this week, crashed over for the opening try.

Omagh came back strong, with the combination of some strong close drives getting a toehold in the game. But Linton and Gilkinson were kicking well down the hill, and strong kick chase from McNeill and Hart made sure to keep pressure on the receivers.

Eventually Ballymoney got the next score, with a colossal drive turning over a scrum near the line, and a couple of close drives created enough space for Jack Alexander to crash over and get on the score sheet once again. The conversion by McMullan was good this time for a 12-0 lead after 20 minutes.

After another spell of possession for Omagh was repelled by a sturdy Toon defense, the next try came on the half hour mark. From a midfield scrum, McMullan chipped through and Matthew Bell put pressure on the cover defender, forcing the mistake and picking up for a try. With the conversion good again, the Toon were in control at 19-0.

But Omagh were a strong pack as well, and forced a series of penalties in the next few minutes, camping out in their attacking 22. Eventually a blindside drive up the left tied in enough defenders for the scrum half to sneak through in the corner.

The home pack got straight back on top, with good yards made by McAuley in the middle, and Stevenson again putting in some dominant tackles. After a dropped ball in midfield had looked like a turnover, the front row again got a massive drive, winning the ball against the head. From there Alexander went left, barrelling through the defenders and eventually offloading to Linton, who cut back infield and crashed over for the try. McMulland converted well for 26-5.

On the stroke of half time Omagh won a penalty, initially forcing a maul turnover and then getting the decision in the scrum. Taking the points on offer left the score 26-8 at half time.

With Anderson on for Clyde in the second half, there was no let up in the hom pack's play. Blair and Millar continued to get their hands on the ball in tight, and Alexander and Heggarty taking it on in wider channels. But with the rain starting to come down neither side were able to make much headway.

Eventually the score came from a lineout - a maul being driven back, but Heggarty rolled out to the left. Drawing the defenders in, he spotted Mcmullan on a hard angled line and offloaded perfectly to send the centre crashing through the flailing arms and over the line.

Omagh went on the attack again, but a good break from Gilkinson brought Ballymoney back into their attacking 22. With strong follow up drives from Stevenson and Blair, this time McMullan turned provider, crashing through on an angle and offloading to Alexander to dot down under the posts. McMullan converted again for a 40-8 lead.

With Russell Blair and Neal Mulholland making their appearance, and Clyde back on for Heggarty in the front row, there was no let up on the opposition pack for the last 15 minutes of play.

But that didn't stop Omagh getting the next score - a series of penalties near the Ballymoney line eventually leading to a yellow card for Tweed for an apparent offside under the posts. From that penalty the Omagh number 8 Wilson drove on an angle past the referee, clattered into the post, and crashed to the ground for the score.

Even down a man, Ballymoney forced a maul turnover almost immediately, and from that scrum a nice set piece play sent Gilkinson clean through the middle, handing off the last man to score a final try under the post. With McMullan's conversion good, the score was 47-15.

The last few minutes saw a couple of highlights, first Harry Orr breaking through from his own 22 and somehow running away from most of his support - fortunately Anderson was on hand to help out. And Clyde had a barnstorming run through the pack up the other side, creating space for Russell Blair to carry hard through the middle. But in the end Gilkinson's break up the left was stopped jut short and the offload from McMullan didn't quite go to hand, leaving the score 47-15 at the final whistle.

With news of Dungannon's loss to Enniskillen coming through after the match, Ballymoney moved to one point clear at the top of the Provincial Premier 2 league with three games to play, albeit having played one more than their rivals.

Next week sees that all-important top of the table clash as the Toon men travel to mid Ulster, knowing that only a good win that denies the opposition bonus points will leave the title race in their own hands. But with good form since Christmas they travel full of confidence and ready for the challenge ahead.