Man with a simple mission

"We have worked very hard all season. People have been prepared to go the extra mile. Some in the club think a place in the top four is good enough but the players don't."

- Dion O'Cuinneagain

Templeville Road has been a graveyard of Ballymena ambition. On Saturday, the Ulster side will be hoping to whistle a new tune, as they take on St Mary's College in the first AIB League Division One semi-final.

Former Ireland captain Dion O'Cuinneagain doesn't carry any of the emotional scars of heavy defeats against Saturday's opponents but he wouldn't have to travel too far to hear the horror stories.

Next December he returns to South Africa for seven months to complete a medical degree and he wants to return to Ireland afterwards to resume his playing career. His rugby sabbatical ensured that he was left out of Ireland's summer tour, given his unavailability for next season's Six Nations Championship.

O'Cuinneagain therefore enjoys singularity of purpose; to beat St Mary's and go on to win the title. He is aware that Saturday presents a mammoth hurdle.

"I think that for any outsider putting money on the match, Mary's would be the popular choice. But sport offers enough examples of the unexpected and in a one-off context we consider our chances good.

"Mary's have enjoyed a good season but this comes down to one day and we have pulled out one or two big performances in previous matches. Our priority is to win enough ball to cause Mary's problems."

Ballymena will need to improve greatly is the lineout. Adrian Stewart's conversion from prop to hooker has solidified the scrummage but his delivery out of touch can be wayward. And the considerable presence of St Mary's second rows Malcolm O'Kelly and Ian Bloomer adds to the visitors' problems.

"We are going to have to come up with a few variations, especially to avoid Mal," O'Cuinneagain concedes. "Obviously if they curtail our lineout supply of possession then we are going to struggle. I expect them to put a great deal of pressure on us inside our own 22 in terms of competing on our throw."

He hopes the recent brilliant sunshine lasts. "We have a few Southern Hemisphere guys who are used to playing in hot conditions and to be honest I wish it was about 35 degrees on Saturday. Playing in the heat can be very uncomfortable if you are not used to it."

O'Cuinneagain says there is great spirit in the Ballymena squad, something that wasn't always prevalent last season.

"I think people took a little while to get used to Andre (Bester, the coach). He's brutally honest and calls a spade a spade. If you were good he'll praise you but if you were crap he won't mince his words. Some people don't like to be told that.

"There is never anything personal in his criticism. The whole squad are enjoying the way he wants us to play the game and we have worked very hard all season. People have been prepared to go the extra mile. Some in the club think a place in the top four is good enough but the players don't."

Inevitably conversation drifts towards individual challenges and O'Cuinneagain's chances of escaping the shackles of the St Mary's back row.

"Victor (Costello) is a tremendous player and given any latitude off the scrum is capable of getting serious yardage. Trevor (Brennan) will be disappointed to have missed out on the Ireland tour. I know what to expect.

"But we have to concentrate on our own game, the patterns we are hoping to impose on them. We know the way that we want to play it. We have got to keep possession for as long as we can. We can't just play an expansive game and nothing else.

"Somebody has to go to the ruck, or scrummage: you can't all be struck out in the backs. You have to make the hard yards, maintain a balance between the two styles. If we don't we won't win."