In a closely contested fixture at Eaton Park, Ballymena fell to a narrow defeat to local rivals, Banbridge in an AIL Division 2A clash dominated by tough weather conditions and disciplined defensive play.
Ballymena took an early lead through Callum Patterson, who slotted a penalty from just inside the Banbridge half to put the home side ahead 3-0. Banbridge responded quickly, levelling the score with a penalty of their own, making it 3-3.
A crucial moment came when Ballymena’s Oisin Jordan was shown a yellow card for tackling a Banbridge player before the 10-metre line following a penalty. With Banbridge threatening to score, this tactical foul prevented further progress. Despite their numerical disadvantage, Ballymena managed to hold out Banbridge’s advances on the try line.
Banbridge, however, were dominating both possession and territory, which eventually paid off with another penalty in front of the posts to edge them ahead 6-3 just before the half-time break. Ballymena’s James Howe then received a yellow card for leading with the arm into a tackle, further compounding their difficulties.
In the second half, Banbridge continued to apply pressure and spent a sustained period camped on Ballymena’s try line. This paid off when their scrum-half threw a long pass out to the left wing, resulting in a try in the corner, extending their lead to 11-3.
Ballymena did manage a resurgence, enjoying a spell of pressure deep in Banbridge’s 22. Despite their efforts, Banbridge’s defence was solid, committing minimal players to the breakdown and using their line speed to deny Ballymena any real scoring opportunities. Callum Patterson’s second penalty brought the score to 6-11, keeping Ballymena in touch.
Banbridge missed a penalty on the final whistle, allowing Ballymena to secure a losing bonus point, but the result leaves Ballymena in 8th position in the league, ahead of both Navan and their next opponents, Buccaneers.
Final score: Ballymena 6 – 11 Banbridge.
Mcwhirter
Mustoe
Mawhinney
J. Browne
Howe
Glass
Lamont
Jordan
Weerarathne
O’Rawe
McLean
Patterson
Vercoe-Rogers
Neilly
McKay
Oliver
Taggart
Milford
Robson
Millar
