‘Hinch survive late fightback

‘Hinch survive late fightback

9 October 2024

Ballymacarn Park regulars were treated to an 11-try feast of enterprising rugby as the local side held off a second half comeback from promoted St Mary’s to take full points and put to rest their heavy defeat in Cork the previous Saturday.

Adam Craig rotated his front row with first AIL starts for props Matthew Burke and Tom McAllistair.

The rest of the side was unchanged and when set free with quick ball the backs looked lethal in the first half as they scored five tries to cancel out an early St Mary’s effort.

Mark Best was a huge threat with his intelligent running lines and fast hands, giving his Dublin opponents all kinds of problems.

He ran a typical hard line for the opening score, switching play for centre partner George Pringle to go over, and then produced some sleight of hands for Ethan Graham to score as the game swung the way of the home side.

Graham produced a brilliant finish to clinch a bonus point with less than half an hour played and his wing partner, Aaron Sexton, walked in a long range interception, having been denied a similar score moments earlier as Ballynahinch dominated the half to take a big lead into the break.

St Mary’s came out firing in the second half with the wind at their backs and reduced the deficit almost immediately with a try.

But when Claytan Milligan replied almost straight away to restore the large lead the home support could not have anticipated that their team would score no further points and would be hanging on at the end.

They kicked possession away and invited St Mary’s to attack, conceding three tries to leave the game far closer than it should have been.

To their credit, St Mary’s never gave up and fought to the end. They were rewarded with two bonus points and can be fairly satisfied with their start to the season.

Craig and his team will be happy to have two wins on the board during the opening 

block of fixtures, but uncharacteristically sloppy defending will need work before they head to last year’s bogey team 

Young Munster in a fortnight’s time.

Ballynahinch (1-20): Matthew Burke, Claytan Milligan, Tom McAllistair, Kyle Gill, Declan Horrox, Marcus Rea, Zack McCall, Bradley Luney (capt), Conor McKee, Paul Kerr, Ethan Graham, Mark Best, George Pringle, Aaron Sexton, Conor Rankin, Kyle McCall, John Dickson, Peter Heasley, Will Hopes, Chris Gibson, Matthew Booth.