Terenure must be wondering how they managed to lose a game they should have wrapped up by half-time. The Dubliners travelled to Eaton Park full of confidence and with the knowledge they had the Indian sign over Ballymena. Not any more they haven't.
Neil Doak was Ballymena's key man. He gave his side the Terenure spent the rest of the half attacking the Ballymena goal line.
With both teams strung out along the half-way line, quick hands by the Ballymena three quarters gave Ireland under-21 winger Andrew Maxwell a vital yard of space. The 19-year-old outpaced the initial defence before handing off Derek Hegarty to trot home after 23 minutes. Doak converted and Ballymena, thanks to some unstinting defensive work, found themselves 10-0 to the good at the break.
Terenure were twice reduced to 14 men when skipper Rory Sheriff and then prop John Campbell were yellow carded.
The second half was virtually a repeat of the first, with Terenure spending most of the half in enemy territory and Ballymena making numerous handling errors. Terenure did manage a try by flanker Luke Hammond, but it was their only reward.
Again Ballymena had one chance, one minute from time, and they took it, thanks to the alertness of Doak.
A turnover saw Doak place a beautiful kick behind the defence and James Topping was quickly up to kick through and beat hooker James Blaney to the touchdown. Doak drop-kicked the extra points after the ball fell over just as he was about to convert.
SCORING SEQUENCE: 2 mins: Doak pen, 3-0; 23 min: Maxwell try, Doak con, 10-0; 48 min: Hammond try, Cullen con, 10-7; 79 min: Topping try, Doak con, 17-7.
BALLYMENA: S Young; J Topping, S Stewart, R Botha, A Maxwell; A Derwin, N Doak; N McKernan, P Shields, C Millar, C Beukes, G Longwell, capt, A Graham, (D Topping, 43), R Nelson, J Taggart.
TERENURE COLLEGE: R Governey; D Coleman, M O'Kelly, M Smyth, J Coffey; S Cullen, D Hegarty; S Baretto, J Blaney, J Campbell, R Sheriff, capt, D Quinn, L Hammond, E Millar, P O'Malley. Replacements: K Putt for D Hegarty (67); A Ryan for O'Malley (71).
Referee: D McHugh (Munster).
