Toon 2s lose hard fought battle to Dungannon

The top two teams in the Provincial Premier 2 league met on Saturday, as Dungannon's 2nd XV hosted Ballymoney 2s. With Dungannon coming through in the last minute in the teams' first meeting, both sides knew this would be a tightly contested match, and the winner would be in pole position for the title over the next few weeks.

With a heavy downpour prior to kickoff making an already wet pitch very muddy in parts, this was set up to be a classic forwards battle. And Ballymoney, left without Jordan Munnis's power up front after a late fitness test - and leaving Andy Millar on the bench after a recent illness, were little disrupted from the start.

But, with Jason Clyde filling in at hooker, and Jack Anderson stepping over to the less familiar tighthead role alongside Matthew Blair at loose - this was still a powerful pack to take on a big and experienced Dungannon side.

The first ten minutes set the scene - both packs with strong ball carriers, but unable to change direction much in the conditions. Mulholland and Lowry's good handling was finding space for Anderson and Clyde's eager running to gain some yards - and Linton and Brown in midfield were also having a good battle with their opposite numbers.

But for both sides, it would be the defence getting penalised that would start to build pressure. First to break through was Dungannon - a strong carry through midfield from the second row breached the visitors' 22m line, and a few carries later, a penalty near the line was taken quickly and driven over for the opening score.

Ballymoney's discipline improved after that wake-up call, and as the pack started knocking back the runners - Stevenson and McAuley in particular getting their hits in on the big carriers - captain Linton was able to guide his team up the field. With more ball for Ballymoney, Bell and Gilkinson were able to make inroads, and Clyde and Anderson kept making yards in the tight.

Eventually Dungannon's discipline was to break, and after a couple of penalties conceded near the line, it was a scrum that led to the breakthrough. A strong push from the pack brought Neal Mulholland a little space on the right hand side, where he picked, showed the ball wide, and stepped back inside the opposing flanker to crash over the line next to the posts. Linton converted for 7-7, and all to play for.

Both sides had periods of possession without really breaking through for the next ten minutes - until just before half time, Dungannon took the lead. With the visitors winning a lineout just inside their own 22, the ball somehow spilled clear from the maul. With the forwards all tight and the back set for a kick chase, the Dungannon backs moved the ball wide, broke clear of the line, and executed the last pass well to put the winger in for a try next to the posts.

With the conversion good, a half time score of 14-7 was disappointing for Ballymoney. Better ball retention in attack, and more discipline in defence was required for the second half, which was set to be a real arm wrestle.

And indeed the second half continued as the first had finished - a purple patch for Dungannon initially being repelled through the forwards, and good drift defence from Bell and Hart snuffing out any attempt to attack up the dry side of the pitch.

But it was the Dungannon defence that would prove the decisive factor in this game. For most of the last half hour Ballymoney pounded away but could not quite get over the line. Even with Russell Blair coming off the bench to lend his size and power to the pack, and Millar adding his experience - the home pack were able to knock down the runners time and again.

With Dan McCord also making his first appearance for the 2s this year, covering Anderson after a heavy shoulder injury, and then McAuley having to step into the back line as Linton came off with a knee injury, Ballymoney resorted to the power game, which was handled admirably by the home pack.

In the end the best opportunity came from a rare Dungannon attack. From midfield Ballymoney were able to turn over the ball and move it wide to Bell, whose show and go found space to burst into the opposition half. With the defensive cover coming in fast, he drew his man to release Gilkinson, but the last covering tackle narrowed the angles well to box him in, unable to break free or use the supporting Hart, and the chance came to nothing.

In the end, no score in the second half left it 14-7 for Dungannon, rewarded for their defensive resilience and taking the chances when they had them. Celebrating at the end, it was clear that this was indeed a hard fought win for them, and puts them two points clear at the top with a game in hand.

For Ballymoney, it was a hard fought battle in tough conditions, with the whole team working hard but not quite getting the results that have come through in previous weeks. The Twos will finish the league campaign with home and away fixtures against Portadown in March, and hope that Dungannon slip up along the way.

But before then, and with a much needed week off now to recover from a lengthening injury list, the next match is on the 2nd of March. That will be a much-anticipated semi-final of the Crawford Cup, at home to Armagh 3s. And with the 1st XV also having a home semi-final in the Towns Cup on the same day, it will be a huge opportunity for the club to get to a final to finish a really good season so far.