Buccaneers 17 Galwegians 9Buccaneers' traditional strength up front manifested itself in a dominant second-half display to take this AIB League Connacht derby at Ballinasloe yesterday.

Galwegians had enjoyed a 10-2 penalty count in the first half with outhalf David Delaney kicking three efforts for a deserved 9-0 lead at the break.

The strong running of centre Darren Balcombe was a feature of this clash, but Galwegians were short on ideas behind the scrum and were unable to make their early dominance count.

Instead Buccanneers upped the tempo in the second half, using their pack to mount a series of platforms from which they scored three tries. All came from penalties. The first from one kicked to touch with David Kelly claiming the try from a lineout catch and drive after 42 minutes.

The introduction of Conor O'Loughlin to replace the injured outhalf Justin Meagher had a major impact on proceedings.

The scrumhalf's speculative kick caught Galwegians' wing Brendan Bartley in possession and from the resulting penalty O'Loughlin claimed the touchdown to give the side a 12-9 lead.

They then added their third when O'Loughlin dived through from a five-metre scrum.

SCORING SEQUENCE: 10 mins: Delaney pen, 0-3; 22 mins: Delaney pen, 0-6; 36 mins: Delaney pen, 0-9; Half-time: 0-9; 42 mins: D Kelly try, C Keane con, 7-9; 53 mins: O'Loughlin try, 12-9; 75 mins: O'Loughlin try, 17-9.

BUCCANEERS: S Stephens; T Robinson, P O'Sullivan, W Wallace, W Munn; J Meagher, C Keane; A Nash, G Halligan, M Cahill, N Smullen, C Short, G Schoeman, E Brennan, D Kelly. Replacements: C O'Loughlin for Meagher, 38 mins; T Duignan for Cahill, 64 mins; C Finnerty for Schoeman, 76 mins.

GALWEGIANS: R Lee; B Bartley, M O'Mahony, D Balcombe, J Cleary; D Delaney, M Roche; D McFarland, H Burke, F Farrell, B McClearn, J Casserly, J Muldoon, I Muldoon, A Conboy. Replacements: D Browne for Conboy, 36 mins; J McSweeney for O'Mahony, 77 mins.

Referee: M Kilbaine (Ulster).