Blackrock ... 22 Ballymena ... 19: It was a game of two halves, the first dominated by Blackrock's potency in the three-quarter line, the second 40 minutes an ode to the physical domination of the Ballymena pack. Arguably the most seminal influence was that of referee John Sheehan. From John O'Sullivan at Stradbrook
Quite apart from three sin-binnings, it was his interpretation of the laws that determined the outcome. To say that the Ballymena eight enjoyed a pronounced advantage in the scrums would be a gross understatement yet the Ulster side's scrum was penalised on five separate occasions with their Blackrock counterparts in danger of ending up on the main Stradbrook road.
If that was largely unfathomable, there were several other instances in which Ballymena can feel harshly treated. Blackrock, too, seemed aggrieved at a number of decisions but their suffering was less acute. Ballymena were reduced to 13 players with seven minutes remaining when leading 19-15, having overcome a 15-3 interval deficit. Dean Macartney and Matt Waterhouse were sin-binned - the latter could have no complaint about his yellow card for a late, clumsy obstruction.
Waterhouse's short trip to the sideline having collided with Blackrock full back Brian Carey was followed by a penalty from which the home side elected for a scrum. Johnny Davis, a late replacement for Michael Jackson, feigned a cutback dragging the Ballymena defence to the periphery of the scrum and Emmet Farrell looped around to take Benny Willis's long flat pass and canter under the posts unopposed.
The outhalf converted to put Blackrock 22-19 ahead, a margin they managed to keep for some nine minutes including injury time, when a man short, Davis binned for killing the ball at a ruck. Ballymena pressed deep into the 'Rock 22 but their desperation guaranteed a couple of errors, allowing the home side to survive.
Ballymena coach and the scrummaging guru to the Ireland team, Tony D'Arcy, was gracious in defeat. His eyes, though, betrayed the pain of a cruel defeat.
"Blackrock deserved their lead at half-time. They cut through us several times but in the second half we regrouped, stopped them going wide and forced them to concede penalties," he said.
The game was an engrossing spectacle and, errors notwithstanding, both teams deserve credit for the manner in which they looked to use possession. Blackrock were particularly effective in the first half scoring two excellent tries from promising young wing Conor Buckley and centre Gary Brown.
The Ballymena three-quarter line was unable to defend the outside centre channel, bamboozled by the pace of Brown and full back Carey. Their first try came on 14 minutes, Rory Rogers setting up a ruck, Farrell and Brown's long passes giving Buckley a little space. Tremendous acceleration and a dummy allowed Buckley to scorch past a couple of defenders en route to the posts.
The second was an equally accomplished score, two long passes from a ruck inside the 'Rock half pre-empting Brown's 50-metre glide to the line. Farrell kicked a penalty and a conversion while Ballymena's only response was a penalty from outhalf Dirkie Strydom. Ballymena full back Waterhouse was unlucky to be hand-tripped yards from the home side's line.
The visitors, though, set about their task with relish after the interval. Prop Bryan Young was driven over from a lineout and Strydom kicked the touchline conversion via a post. The outhalf then kicked three further penalties to edge Ballymena tantalisingly close to a victory. They will rue the indiscipline that cost them a couple of players at a crucial juncture but on this evidence are genuine play-off contenders.
Blackrock will celebrate their victory, having worked hard and none more so than Rogers and John Fitzgerald up front, but know that they must unearth a harder edge up front to complement an excellent young backline.
SCORING SEQUENCE
14 mins: C Buckley try, Farrell conversion 7-0
21 mins: Strydom penalty 7-3
34 mins: Brown try 12-3
40 mins: Farrell penalty 15-3
Half-time: Blackrock 15, Ballymena 3
47 mins: Young try, Strydom conversion 15-10
52 mins: Strydom penalty 15-13
61 mins: Strydom penalty 15-16
65 mins: Strydom penalty 15-19
74 mins: Farrell try, Farrell conversion 22-19
BLACKROCK: B Carey; C Buckley, G Brown, J Davis, P Drew; E Farrell, B Willis; A McSweeney (capt), G Van der Vyer, M Cuffe; M Gilbride, J Fitzgerald; R Rogers, M Carroll, T O'Donoghue. Replacements: T Manana for O'Donoghue (53 mins); S Byrne for Cuffe (65 mins); G McEvoy for Van der Vyer (74 mins).
BALLYMENA: M Waterhouse; A Maxwell, R Aioni, H Jones, H Swift; D Strydom, A Monson; S McConnell, S Roberts, B Young; P McBride, D O'Kane; A Graham, R Nelson, J Taggart. Replacements: P Spence for Swift (5 mins); N McKernan for McConnell (half-time); D Macartney for Graham (52 mins); D Topping for Monson (61 mins).
Referee: J Sheehan (Munster).
Yellow cards: D Macartney (Ballymena) 67-77 mins; M Waterhouse (Ballymena) 73-83 mins; J Davis (Blackrock) 79 mins.
