A minute's silence was observed before kickoff in respect of the sudden death of Charlie Jamison, a Ballynahinch youth player.

Ballynahinch kicked off and spent the first five minutes in the home 22, laying down a marker with their attacking intent. Just afterwards, on Dungannon’s first visit into the visitors half Jaike Callaghan was the recipient of a red card for a croc roll.

The visitors continued to press and got their opening score after 10 minutes through Jack Stapley - an uncovered try. To add to Dungannon woes they were reduced to 13 men when Jacob Clarke was yellow carded on the home line for interference, at the end of the first quarter. The Hinch were able to exploit the extra space for former Ulster player, Aaron Sexton to easily touchdown from a well placed crosskick.

Dungannon gradually came into the game but the good work of the forwards following a clinical lineout drive was undone when not for the first time in the game possession was lost in contact. On one such occasion the ball was lost in the opposition 22 and a few phases later Hinch were three tries up at 0-17. They added a fourth converted try a few minutes later.

With Jacob Clarke back on, Dungannon were forcing errors and securing penalties in the visitors’ half. Just before the break Clarke scored after being driven over from a 5 metre penalty. Converted by Peter Nelson.

The superior pace and precision of their game had given Ballynahinch four tries and a half time lead of 24 points to 7.

Just after the restart an elementary error by Dungannon gave the visitors an easy score making it 31 and ten minutes later they completed their scoring at 38.

Full credit to Dungannon for not giving up and they showed a willingness to run at and ask questions of the visitors. Particularly prominent here were Messrs Steenson, Lewis and Redmond. They were rewarded with another Jacob Clarke score almost identical to the first, again from a 5 metre penalty. Peter Nelson converted making the score 14-38.

With ten minutes to go a reckless Hinch challenge on Blake Redmond brought a yellow card for Ballynahinch’s’ Conor Rankin, although the Dungannon support thought it warranted more.

Toby Gribben had the final say with a try in the corner after a rampaging Callum Johns run, leaving the final score at 19-38.

Ballynahinch were the better side with honors fairly even in the forwards and in spite of a number of absentees, the Dungannon scrum was a match for their bigger opponents.
While the Dungannon defense was not perfect, had it not been as good as it was the margin of defeat would have been significantly greater.

This Saturday Dungannon welcome neighbours City of Armagh to Stevenson Park in the final game of the Ulster Senior Cup, kick off 2.30pm.

Dungannon:- J. Carroll, S. Montgomery, J. Clarke, C. Johns, C. Steenson, D. Leyburn, J. Callaghan, J. McMahon(c), T. Gribben, P. Nelson, A. Lewis, B. Gribben, K. Gormley, A. Nelson, B. Redmond, J. McCammon, A. Edgar, B. Connelly, M. Watt, Z. Holmes