DLSP...8 Ballymena...28: De La Salle, Palmerston's, Requiem for their stay in the premier division of Irish club rugby may well have started in the first half of this defeat as Ballymena's professionalism told through against the south Dublin side.
Even after three years of first division rugby they were below the standard of the opposing side that contained Gary Longwell, who replaced Mick Galwey in Ireland's victory over Scotland, and Ireland 'A's Paddy Wallace.
The Kilternan-based side did enough to warrant their place in the first division over the first 40 minutes, but the Northerners got all the breaks and DLSP's one real effort at a try, through a Mark Cross break from midfield, was sucked in by the visitors defence just on the line.
Ballymena managed to have enough in their pack and sharpness in attack to score four tries and take the bonus point which relieved the pressure on the chances of demotion.
The Northerners were already 11-0 up at half-time. Although they scarcely deserved that, Wallace made it two from three successful set-kicks at goal and Paul McBride pulled himself over the goal-line after a couple of passages of play that had warranted a try, midway through the first half.
The second-half saw two push over tries for Ballymena, which portrayed their strength in the pack, which was complemented by a James Toping try from a break, when the home defence was caught napping.
DLSP got their consolation try through Richard Candlin, when he was released by Sean MacCarhy, but with daunting fixtures against St Mary's and Galwegians before the end of the season all their survival skills will need to be implemented if they are to avoid the drop into division two.
SCORING SEQUENCE: 2 mins: Wallace pen, 0-3; 25 mins: Wallace pen, 0-6; 38 mins: McBride try, 0- 11; 52 mins: Taggart try, 0-16; 62 mins: Broughton pen, 3-16; 65 mins: Gamlin try, 3-21; Candlin try, 8-21; 70 mins: Topping try, Wallace con, 8-28.
DLSP: E Devitt; M O'Sullivan, J Critchley, D MacCabe, M Viorneau; S Broughton (capt), M Cross; K Ashmore, A Davies, D Masters, P McDonnell, R Candlin, A Toher, S MacCarthy, J Deen. Replacements: Ed Moore for D Masters (50 mins).
BALLYMENA: S Young; J Topping (capt), A Larkin, P McIntosh, P Rogers; P Wallace, A Keyttle; S McDowell, A Gamlin, B Young, P McBride, G Longwell, N McMillen, J Taggart, R Nelson. Replacements: Daryl O'Kane for P McBride (65 mins); D MacCartney for J Taggart (70 mins); J Cupitt for P Rogers (74 mins); J Wells for A Kettyle (77 mins).
Referee: P Eakin (Ulster)
