Dungannon's Paul Magee grabs the bonus point try against Ballymena.
Dungannon finished off the first period of the Ulster Senior League with a bonus point win away to Ballymena. The result see’s the Stevenson Park outfit edge out Belfast Harlequins to park their Ulster League campaign at the top of the table.
With the wind behind them Dungannon went into an early lead thanks to two penalties from Michael Lawton in reply to one from Ballymena’s David O’Hara taking the score to 3 – 6.
Jaryd Bennett took full advantage of the wind with a long kick into the Ballymena twenty-two. The Dungannon pack kept pressure on their opponents and following surges by Adam Duhig and Glen Sinnamon, Timmy Smith added the final touch with a try after twenty-three minutes. Lawton added the extras with another good kick in the tricky wind. 3 – 13
Ballymena were punished prior to halftime when their flanker was binned for foul play and Lawton knocked over the resultant penalty taking the half time score to 3 – 16
Dungannon were playing sensibly rugby against the wind but it was David O’Hara who got the score moving with a penalty for Ballymena on fifty-five minutes. 6 – 16
We were then treated to the try of the match; when the Dungannon forwards gave the newly cropped Buzz Bloomfield the ball he set the play in motion with the ball passing through the hands of Jaryd Bennett to Chris Cochrane. The winger, in his new slippery yellow boots, ghosted through the Ballymena defence before drawing the fullback and unselfishly off loading to the supporting Conor Gaston who raced over after the hour. Stuart McCloskey added the conversion. 6 – 23
Five minutes later skipper Mark Jenkinson instigated a play that saw Connor Gaston breaking through before repaying the favour when he drew his man and passed to the fluorescent footed Cochrane who raced over for another good try. This time Jaryd Bennett added the extras. 6 – 30
The lively Bloomfield almost created another try but Gannon now had their tails up and a wonderful example of handling from the backs ended with Paul Magee going over for the fourth try on seventy minutes. Bennett again converted. 6 – 37
Ballymena were now desperate for a score to restore some pride and a clever reverse pass to David O’Hara allowed him room to scamper over for a self converted try on seventy-seven minutes. 13 – 37
Dungannon: Conor Gaston, Christopher Cochrane, Paul McKenzie, Stuart McCloskey, Michael Lawton, Jaryd Bennett, Jason Bloomfield., Glen Sinnamon, Adam Duhig, Mark Farquhar, Craig Miller, Mark Jenkinson, Derek Hall, Ali Birch, Rowan Halsall, Ben Howard, Philip Whyte, Timothy Smith, Mark O’Shea, Paul Magee.
Referee: Mark Hermin (Randalstown)
Tries: Timothy Smith, Conor Gaston, Christopher Cochrane & Paul Magee.
Conversions: Michael Lawton, Stuart McCloskey & Jaryd Bennett (2).
Penalty: Michael Lawton (3)
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