Cashel strengthened their grip on a promotion playoff spot with a dominant second-half display at Eaton Park, overturning a narrow half time deficit to claim a 31-13 victory over Ballymena in AIL 2A.
Ballymena started brightly, with Callum Patterson slotting an early penalty to give the hosts a 3-0 lead after 10 minutes. Cashel responded well, building phases before scrum-half Strydom darted over in the corner, with an excellent conversion putting them ahead 7-3. Patterson added another penalty just before halftime, ensuring Ballymena trailed by just a single point at the break (6-7).
The home side began the second half in ideal fashion, as a break from Neely and McBurney set up Crowe for a well-taken try, converted by Patterson to push Ballymena ahead 13-7. However, that would prove to be their final score of the game as Cashel took control.
A powerful maul in the 60th minute set up a perfectly executed cross-field kick, allowing winger Leamy to touch down and regain the lead for the visitors (13-19). Cashel extended their advantage 10 minutes later, as a break in midfield saw centre Flannery race under the posts to make it 26-13.
A red card for Ballymena winger Neely in the 72nd minute compounded the hosts’ struggles, and Cashel sealed victory with a final try in the corner from scrum-half Callery after an 80th-minute scrum inside the Ballymena 22.
Cashel’s clinical finishing inside the Ballymena 22 proved the difference, as they leapfrogged into second place behind Instonians in the table. Ballymena, meanwhile, drop to ninth after Navan secured a bonus point elsewhere. With just three games remaining, the battle at both ends of the table is heating up.
Team:
Mark, Mustoe, Mawhinney, J. Browne, Milford, Glass, Gallagher, Clarke, Weerarathne, Patterson, D. Millar, Crowe, Vercoe Rogers, Neely, McBurney
Subs: Hargy, Taggart, Marshall, Robson, Ritson
