BUCCANEERS 19 BALLYMENA 37
BUCCANEERS slumped to a sixth successive Energia All-Ireland League defeat when going down 37-19 to Ballymena at Dubarry Park on Saturday. While this was their smallest losing margin to date in Division 2A, it was nonetheless the most disappointing as the equally youthful visitors looked vulnerable. But on a lovely mild afternoon and near perfect playing conditions, Buccs never really got going until much too late in the encounter.
Injuries, of course, have not helped the homesters’ depleted squad with Oisin Dolan and Lucca d’Ambola Riera latest additions to an already extensive list of absentees. The Pirates made four personnel changes with Adam O’Carroll returning after injury at flyhalf and Dylan Duffy reverting to fullback. Ryan O’Meara was also fit to start, this time at tighthead; Sam Fogarty returned at lock and Luke Balsiger started at blindside flanker. The northerners also made a quartet of personnel changes, similar to the hosts with one in the backline and three forwards. Oliver Smyth started at scrumhalf and Jacob Oliver, David Milford and James McLean came into their pack.
Ballymena made a lively start and Harry Hughes made a try-saving tackle on his opposite number Ben Neely after just 2 minutes while a forward pass five minutes later denied Michael McLean a try opportunity. But their early dominance was rewarded with a 17th minute try wide on the left by Michael McLean and Callum Patterson added the conversion. At the end of the opening quarter, Duffy was unable to land a penalty from the right. The Braidmen stretched their lead when Neely’s snipe led to a penalty which Patterson slotted over for a 10-0 lead after 28 minutes.
Buccaneers eventually enjoyed some territory and O’Meara crashed over on the right for a 37th minute try converted by O’Carroll to narrow their arrears. But they conceded a number of penalties in the closing moments and James McLean applied the finishing touch for a try at The Bounty corner. Patterson’s conversion with the final action of the half gave the Ulster side a 17-7 advantage.
O’Carroll was off-target with an early second half penalty but Patterson did not miss with a 51st minute placekick. From the restart John Glass won possession and fed Daniel Vercoe-Rogers, the smallest player on the pitch, but his acceleration split the home cover and Sean McKay was supporting at pace to race in for a try at the posts. Patterson’s conversion stretched the northerners lead to 27-7.
James McLean broke through some tackles much too easily to notch a bonus point try for Ballymena at the end of the third quarter. Buccs finally got some momentum going with Hughes running at the visitors. He got good support from replacements Jack Scouler and Charlie Byrne and this spell of home pressure was finished off by Ross Murphy-Sweeney for a 68th minute try converted by David Colgan.
Ballymena responded with a pushover try scored by veteran James Taggart but the midlanders battled on and a series of phases, in which Cian Daly was held up just short, saw Fergus Galvin burrow over for his side’s third try. Buccs strove valiantly to secure a bonus point try but it was not to be as they went down 37-19.
Errors did not help the Pirates cause with a number of penalties not finding touch and one in a good position going dead while the lineout malfunctioned with lack of height not helping there. O’Meara, who led the team out on his 50th AIL appearance, was the recipient of the ‘Michael Moore Car Sales Man of the Match’ award. Reece Henderson and Scouler did their utmost in the forwards battles while Hughes and Daniel Hawkshaw were best of the backs. The vastly experienced Patterson was the most influential player on the pitch and Jonny Browne and Glass were Ballymena’s key forwards.
BUCCANEERS:- D.Duffy; H.Hughes, R.Murphy-Sweeney, D.Hawkshaw, O.Burgess; A.O’Carroll, A.Flanagan; R.Henderson, C.Daly, R.O’Meara; S.Fogarty, F.Galvin; L.Balsiger, C.Walsh (captain) and P.Egan. Replacements:- J.Scouler (for L.Balsiger, 54 mins), C.Byrne (for O’Meara, 60 mins), D.Bolger (for Egan, 64 mins), D.Colgan (for O’Carroll, 64 mins) and H.Balsiger (for Duffy, 65 mins).
BALLYMENA:- S.McKay; B.Neely, D.Vercoe-Rogers, C.Patterson, M.McLean; J.O’Rawe, O.Smyth; J.Oliver, C.Mustoe, J.Mawhinney; D.Milford, J.Browne; J.Glass, J.McLean and A.Lamont (captain). Replacements:- J.Dobbin (for Glass, temp 36-40 mins), T.Ferguson (for O’Rawe, 60 mins), J.Dobbin (for Glass, 61 mins), H.Casson (for Mustoe, 61 mins), J.Taggart (for Oliver, 65 mins), J.Glass (for Lamont, 65 mins), A.Robson (for O’Rawe, 69 mins) and C.Mustoe (for J.McLean, 73 mins).
Referee:- Dermot Blake (IRFU).
