There was a huge 14-point turnover when Galwegians were pressing at 16-8 after half an hour. One could reflect on a subsequent David Humphreys conversion that went over via both posts. Eric Elwood also pulled a late penalty wide from in front of the posts as a prelude to Galwegians' injurytime converted try. And yet no one at Crowley Park on Saturday could dispute the better team won.
This is a crack Dungannon outfit who, given their innate ability and pace, and most of all the expansive way they play the game, probably depend on confidence more than most. This being their ninth win in 10 and sixth on the spin (in which they have scored 30 tries), they are oozing it.
None more so than David Humphreys. Willie Anderson has given the talented outhalf and his team-mates full rein to express themselves and here they resolved to give it a lash. The scrum creaked but the primary ball winners did their stuff, led by the outstanding Tony McWhirter, while a mobile pack provided quicker ruck-ball and effectively competed to deny Galwegians' continuity. Stephen Bell needed to do no more than spin it out.
Humphreys occasionally kicked for variety, sometimes sped through gaps if they appeared, but mostly created space for those around him. He had a willing play-making accomplice in a slimmed-down Jonathan Bell, whom Anderson cites as one of their players of the season.
The cocktail outside is ridiculous. Aside from the slickly engineered moves from the training ground, all provide an individual ability to beat their man any time, especially in broken play. Tyrone Howe is having the best season of his life, but Jan Cunningham is revelling in a lengthy run at his best position of centre, while his talented younger brother Bryn Cunningham has carved a real niche at full back. Recently contracted by Ulster for next season, he strutted Glenina with a disarming cockiness.
"It's a very emotional day," said Anderson afterwards. "I'm delighted with the guys. They stuck to the game plan and relaxed. We created a lot of opportunities, we took some and missed a couple. Our defence was good and I thought our control and discipline was very good as well. I'm very proud for the players to be the first side to represent Ulster in the final."
It's to Galwegians' credit they got so close in the end, though a slightly subdued pack could have shown more effective fire in the belly than a couple of costly second-half sin binnings - Mark McConnell for over-vigorous rucking and Michael Swift for punching. However, for sheer game-breaking ability and pace only Gavin Duffy could live with these Dungannon backs.
Coach John Kingston having cooked up a good tactical plan to disrupt the dancing Dungannonmen, which largely revolved around launching the recalled Junior Charlie at Humphreys, Galwegians were well in the hunt and even looked the more effective team when keeping it fairly tight. But the quicker and looser it got, the more Dungannon were likely to leave them gasping, witness that crucial 14-point turnaround.
McConnell had nicked a Dungannnon throw for the Galwegians' pack to rumble upfield to create a two-man overlap out wide but Tim Allnutt's delayed pass to Charlie didn't stick when two quick transfers would have put Denver Rumney in. Kingston reckons Dungannon might have creaked a little under the pressure of a 25-6 deficit and he had a point, for a couple of Humphreys' passes had already missed their men.
Nonetheless, perhaps no AIL team could have done what Dungannon did next. Having recycled the ensuing ruck on their right flank inside their own 22 they fizzed the ball along the line to create a two-on-two with their wingers in tandem. Jan Cunningham broke to half-way before passing to Howe who eluded the attempted hand-trip of Duffy and beat the cover to the corner. Humphreys' conversion went over off both uprights and even though still trailing, from that moment you knew there would be only one winner.
Galwegians didn't help their cause with a needlessly elaborate move inside their own 22, turning over the ball and conceding a penalty which Dungannon kicked to the corner. From a lineout they probed infield for a well-taken Justin Fitzpatrick try.
Thereafer they never trailed. Humphreys kicked his goals with the breeze behind him to keep Galwegians at bay. A scrum call against Peter Bracken and McConnell's sin binning in quick succession as Galwegians built up momentum were big blows to the home side. After Michael Swift's try, referee Olan Trevor's decision to let Humphreys kick the final restart dead as the final act was unsatisfactory in the extreme.
"We've had a fantastic time of it," John Kingston said. "The bottom line is we finished second in the league. I'm happy, there are no recriminations and no regrets. Of course we could have won the game today but we did ourselves justice and I think you saw a good Galwegians side and why we're a top-four side."
Scoring sequence: 2 mins: Elwood pen 3-0; 4 mins: Humphreys pen 3-3; 10 mins: Gavin try, Elwood con 10-3; 13 mins: Constable try 10-8; 19 mins: Elwood pen 13-8; 23 mins: Elwood pen 168; 30 mins: Howe try, Humphreys con 16-15; 39 mins: Fitzpatrick try, Humphreys con 16-22; 40 mins: Elwood pen 19-22; half-time: 19-22; 42 mins: Humphreys 19-25; 64 mins: Humphreys pen 19-28; 66 mins: Elwood pen 22-28; 72 mins: Humphreys pen 22-31; 85 mins: Swift try, Elwood con 29-31.
GALWEGIANS: G Duffy; G Brady, P Duignan, T Allnutt, D Rumney; E Elwood, B Shelbourne; D McFarland, P Cleary, P Bracken, D Browne, M McConnell, B Gavin, M Swift, J Charlie. Replace- ments: A Kershaw for McFarland (60-65 mins and 74 mins), J Barfoot for Charlie (71 mins), K Tierney for Cleary (74 mins). Sin binned - Duignan (29-39 mins), McConnell (50-61 mins), Swift (71-81 mins).
DUNGANNON: B Cunningham; J Cunningham, R Constable, J Bell, T Howe; D Humphreys, S Bell; J Fitzpatrick, N Brady, G Leslie, P Johns (capt), A Kearney, A Boyd, T McWhirter, M Haslett. Replacements: A Hughes for Haslett (67 mins), R Mackey for Leslie (82 mins). Sin binned - Constable (29-39 mins).
Referee: O Trevor (IRFU).
