Dungannon moved a massive step closer to the AIL play-offs with victory in the big Ulster derby at Stevenson Park last night. A win in their final game this Saturday at home to Garryowen will secure a first ever semi-final spot for the Tyrone club.

Three first-half tries and a heroic backs-to-the-wall effort in the second half proved enough to bring Ballymena's title challenge to a halt.

The home side got off to the perfect start with a Jan Cunningham try after just 90 seconds, and went 12-0 ahead when Justin Fitzpatrick sent Tyrone Howe clear for try midway through the first half.

Full-back Bryn Cunningham thundered through for a superb third try, and when David Humphreys converted, Dungannon were rampant at 19-0.

Ballymena did gain a glimmer of hope two minutes before the break when Brad Free sent Rhys Botha through to score from a tap penalty, with Niall Doak converting to leave his side trailing 10-7 at the interval.

Humphreys stretched the lead with a penalty soon after the restart, but they had to withstand intense Ballymena pressure from there to the finish, with Doak and substitute Derek Topping always a threat.

Ballymena finally got in for a try 12 minutes from the end when Doak went over in the right corner. However, Humphreys sealed victory for Dungannon with a sweet dropped goal to see them leapfrog last night's opponents in the league table.

Dungannon: B Cunningham; J Cunningham, R Constable, J Bell, T Howe; D Humphreys, S Bell; J Fitzpatrick, N Brady, G Leslie, P Johns, A Kearney, A Boyd, M Haslett, T McWhirter. Replace- ments: A Hughes for Haslett, R Mackey for Leslie.

Ballymena: S Young; J Topping, R Botha, S Stewart, A Maxwell; N Doak, B Free; N McKernan, P Shields, G Cully, G Longwell, C Beukeus, A Graham, J Taggart, R Nelson. Replacements: A Derwin for Freeman, D Topping for Graham, B Young for Cully.

Referee: S McDowell (Ulster Branch).