Battling Buccs left with no reward from long trek north

Ballymena 22 Buccaneers 12

By Michael Silke

Despite putting in one of their best performances of a difficult campaign, Buccaneers came away empty-handed following a round trip of over 600kms to Ballymena on Saturday.

With the pitch at Eaton Park being badly cut up, this Energia All-Ireland League Division 2A game was switched to Ballymena Academy School’s grounds in the town where the northerners came out on top after an absorbing and energetic encounter by 22-12.

Buccs made two changes, one enforced, from their last outing at Navan. James Kelly started at loosehead prop after returning from injury and Corey Reid made his long-awaited return at flyhalf, a berth he had not previously played in. The school pitch was yielding and a cool breeze had a chill to it.

The Athlone side’s first chance of territory came to nought when a penalty was kicked over the endline before Ballymena opened the scoring. The 13th minute was unlucky for Adam O’Carroll who slipped when in possession and a penalty ensued when he held on too long. The midlanders were promptly exposed when the Braidmen quickly tapped and spun the ball to the left where the Pirates were caught short on numbers. Although Rodger McBurney was held out, James McClean was up in support and the flanker touched down on the left with Callum Patterson adding the conversion.

Eleven minutes later, the Ulstermen punted a penalty to the left when Buccs did not roll away and, following the lineout, Eoin Ritson weaved in much too easily for an unconverted try that gave Ballymena a 12-0 lead.

Buccaneers lost control of a promising scrum five metres out on 31 minutes and also lost Orrin Burgess to injury in this set-piece with Sam Fogarty replacing the number 8. But the Shannonsiders were now making inroads with Ross Murphy-Sweeney making one tremendous break.

They got due reward in the final minute when a wonderful sequence involving many hands was finished off at the left corner flag for a try by Cian Daly. O’Carroll’s touchline conversion reduced Buccs arrears to 12-7 at the interval.

Buccs kept the momentum going following the change of ends and Reid, who looked comfortable in his unfamiliar role, lofted a penalty to touch on the right. From the lineout, a flowing move saw the ball reach Jenson Nagle and the winger finished with aplomb two minutes into the second period to level the scores at 12-12.

Ballymena were now under pressure and Josh Dobbin was yellow-carded for taking Lucca d’Ambola Riera out at a lineout. Daniel Hawkshaw then conjured up space for Murphy-Sweeney to again gain ground down the right flank as the Pirates stepped up the tempo. But a long delay due to an injury sustained by Paddy Browne on 47 minutes disrupted Buccaneers’ impetus while Nagle was denied a second try when shunted into touch close to the home line.

Hawkshaw, untypically, was caught in possession on 52 minutes and Patterson drilled a super penalty deep into Buccs 22 where, following the lineout, the home pack mauled forward before Callum Moustoe applied the finishing touch for an unconverted try. Now back to the full complement, the hosts steadied themselves and secured a bonus point try ten minutes later after a period on the offensive when Ritson notched his second try.

Try as they might, Buccaneers could not add to their tally to salvage anything from their spirited and sustained endeavours. The lively d’Ambola Riera lorded the lineouts while Reid did well at flyhalf and, overall, this was a decent collective showing by the Pirates that warranted better reward. Meanwhile, the bonus point win moves Ballymena within touching distance of Navan and Old Crescent as they bid to move out of the relegation play-off position.

SCORERS - Ballymena: Eoin Ritson 2 tries; James McClean and Callum Mustoe 1 try each; Callum Patterson 1 conversion. Buccaneers: Cian Daly and Jenson Nagle 1 try each; Adam O’Carroll 1 conversion.

BALLYMENA: R. McBurney; D. Vercoe-Rogers, P. Crowe, E. Ritson, D. Millar; C. Patterson, R. Weerarathne; J. Mark, C. Mustoe, J. Mawhinney; J. Dobbin, P. Browne; J. Glass, J. McClean, A. Lamont (captain). Replacements: D. Milford (for Browne, inj., 47 mins), A. Robson (for Weerarathne, 52 mins), M. Lamont (for Mark, 60 mins), M. McLean (for Vercoe-Rogers, 63 mins), D. Vercoe-Rogers (for McBurney, 75 mins) and G. Hargy.

BUCCANEERS: A. O’Carroll; R. Murphy-Sweeney, T. Shine, D. Hawkshaw, J. Nagle; C. Reid, D. Colgan; J. Kelly, C. Daly, R. O’Meara (captain); L. d’Ambola Riera, F. Galvin; O. Dolan, J. Crampton, O. Burgess. Replacements: S. Fogarty (for Burgess, inj. 31 mins), D. Bolger (for Kelly, 53 mins), C. Byrne (for O’Meara, 60 mins), A. Flanagan (for Colgan, 66 mins), D. Duffy (for Murphy-Sweeney, 68 mins) and D. Colgan (for O’Carroll, 72 mins).

REFEREE: Henry Richmond (IRFU).