The incessant rain which had been falling long before kick-off never eased throughout the game and that ensured plenty of handling errors. It eventually deteriorated into a messy and scrappy final 15 minutes, with Ballynahinch scoring three of their four tries mostly on the back of some slopping home play in that last quarter.
Hinch had started strongly, but Bambry missed a fourth minute penalty attempt. Ballymena then laid siege to the visitor’s line, probing it with short pick and drives from the pack. Skipper, Darrell O’Kane looked as though he had finally found a space, only for the ball to spill from his grasp as he crossed the line. It basically summed things up for both sides in that opening quarter – Fisher missing a 16th minute penalty.
On the half-hour mark, after some sustained pressure, Ballynahinch finally opened the scoring with James Simpson taking the final pass off ruck ball to go in at the corner. Bambry converted superbly for a 7-0 lead.
As the first half drew to a close Bambry and Fisher both missed penalties leaving the Hinch with a 0-7 lead at the interval.
Pritchard spurred Ballymena on early in the second half with a lovely break, but he had no support and the game then was staged between the ‘22’s, before the home side, with their pack now working better as a unit, deservedly got back on level terms, creating the opportunity for Roger McBurney was to cross the whitewash, the fullback finding some space to go through and score a try which was converted by replacement winger, Ross Connor.
Ballynahinch did make it worth the wet stand for their travelling support with three tries in the final quarter. Aaron Ferris got the scoreboard ticking over again on 64 minutes when he did well to go in at the left corner and then replacement centre Robin Harte completed a great counter attack after Ballymena were caught in possession in their own ‘22’.
The final score, two minutes from the end, came off a lovely break by replacement scrumhalf, David Drake, cutting a lovely line through the home defence he passed to Bambry, who gratefully accepted to cross beside the posts then he slotted over his second conversion of the half.
Hinch coach, Derek Suffern admitted he was chuffed to have finally broken the apparent Ulster League ‘hoodoo’ which had hung over them, but accepted that even with the conditions, his charges had a bit of work to do over the next fortnight.
“We have made a good start to the season, there are improvements being made on a weekly basis and while today was not about being able to play open flowing rugby, and we maybe over cooked ourselves sometimes, we got the win, and with a bonus point, so you have to be happy with that.”
Adam Craig, the Ballynahinch fullback, outhalf Ryan Bambry, lock James Simpson and prop, Fergal Lynch, called up to the side at the last minute, were the stand out performers for the visitors. For Ballymena, fullback Roger McBurney and openside loose forward, Paul Pritchard, caught the eye, while Martin Irwin at outhalf did well, in spite of not getting the service he would have preferred from Gareth Fisher.
The AIB league will start at the beginning of October with an away trip to Galway. The Hinch have managed to get a friendly fixture this weekend when Leinster side Suttonians will travel to Ballymacarn Park for a 3.00pm kick-off.
BALLYMENA: Roger McBurney; Alan Smith, Darryl Montgomery, Ali Fraser, Matthew Banks; Martin Irwin, Gareth Fisher; James Carson, James Carmichael, Chris Cundell, Darrell O’Kane (capt), Chris Smyth, Andrew Kerr, Paul Pritchard, Ross Hackney. Replacements: Ross Connor, Connor Smith, Andrew Warwick, Ben Johnston, Sean Flanagan.
BALLYNAHINCH: Adam Craig; Aaron Ferris, Stuart Morrow, James Thompson, David Nicholson; Ryan Bambry, Harry McAleese; Chris Spence, Neil Hanna (capt), Fergal Lynch, Jonny Graham, James Simpson, Gary Crowe, Josh Donaldson, Michael Graham. Replacements: Matt Nelson, Robin Harte, Chris Napier, David Drake.
