The weather may have been atrocious but Dungannon certainly enjoyed their moment in the sun at Stevenson Park on Saturday. The Tyrone side, galvanised by a spirited back row, turned in their most impressive performance in the league to date to outmanoeuvre Lansdowne.

The foundation for Dungannon's victory was laid up front, and if they were efficient in the tight, they were even more imposing in the loose, with Willie Dunne, Jeremy Hastings and Johnny Hastings combining to make a decisive impact throughout.

Dungannon built up a 16-8 halftime lead and went on to consolidate their advantage in the second half despite spasmodic Lansdowne raids.

Ashley Blair gave the home side a lead from a penalty before Kearns slotted over a similar score for the visitors and when Stephen Bell went in for Dungannon's opening try in the 13th minute, McQuilken quickly responded to keep the sides at 8-8.

But in a productive stint prior to the break, Blair landed a penalty and Simpson barged his way over for a try to give Dungannon their 16-8 cushion.

Carey, always a threat on the wing, broke away to touch down for a typical opportunist score and it was fitting that the industrious Blair should have put the seal on a superb individual display when he went in for the final try of the match, which he converted.

SCORING SEQUENCE: 7 mins - A Blair pen 3-0; 11 mins - R Kearns pen 3-3; 13 mins S Bell try 8-3; 15 mins K McQuilken try 8-8; 29 mins Blair pen 11-8; 37 mins C Simpson try 16-8; 55 mins R Carey try 21-8; 64 mins Blair try, con 288.

DUNGANNON: R Morrow, M Bradley, A Redpath, A Clarke, R Carey; A Blair, S Bell; D Millar, C Farrell, G Leslie; C Simpson, K Walker; W Dunne, Jeremy Hastings, Johnny Hastings.

LANSDOWNE: R Kearns; M Dillon, K McQuilkin, S Horgan, B Glennon; R Governey, D O'Mahony; E Boland, C Egan, A McKean; P O'Connor, W Aherne; S Rooney, A Doyle, C McEntee.

Referee: L Mayne (Munster).