Dungannon produced a dramatic late winner to defeat Banbridge 26–24 in a pulsating league encounter that swung back and forth until the very last play. With both sides entering the match on the back of opening day victories, the stage was set for a fiercely contested fixture — and it delivered in full.
Banbridge started brightly after kicking off, forcing Dungannon to defend deep inside their own territory. The hosts weathered the early pressure and then nearly struck with a moment of brilliance: from a scrum on their own 5 metre line, Adam Nixon tore three quarters of the pitch before offloading to Conor Goss, who was bundled into touch. From the resulting ruck, Hubert Banka was halted and knocked on, denying what would have been a sensational score.
Banbridge continued to probe, especially after Dungannon’s Nico Hadden was shown a yellow card. The visitors attempted to exploit the temporary advantage, but outstanding defensive work — particularly from Nerijus Bagdonas on the left edge — kept them at bay.
With both teams defending doggedly, clear scoring chances were scarce. Then, after Banbridge failed to clear cleanly and conceded an offside, Dungannon captain Alexander Courtney reacted instantly. A quick tap saw him surge into the 5 metre zone, and after two strong carries, Thomas Courtney spotted a gap and powered over for the opening try. Hadden converted to give Dungannon a 7–0 lead at the break.
Banbridge attempted a long range penalty on the stroke of half time, but it fell short — a sign of the tight margins that defined the contest.
Dungannon began the second half with intent but struggled to find the killer pass. Their rhythm was disrupted when influential prop Jake Moore was forced off, prompting a reshuffle with Alfie Blair entering the fray. Moments later, hooker David Dragan also departed through injury, compounding the disruption in the pack.
Banbridge capitalised on the uncertainty. A long kick upfield stayed in play by inches, and after a mix up at the back, Dungannon gifted the visitors a try and conversion to level the match. Banbridge, buoyed by the score, struck again soon after — three missed tackles allowed them to cross in the corner and take the lead.
Dungannon responded through their captain once more. Alexander Courtney picked and went from close range, powering past two defenders to score. Hadden’s conversion nudged Dungannon ahead 14–12.
But Banbridge hit back immediately from the restart, slicing through to score under the posts and restore their advantage at 14–19.
Dungannon refused to fold. From the kickoff, Bence Balajti carried with real authority, and moments later he crashed over under the posts. Hadden converted again, swinging the scoreboard to 21–19 in Dungannon’s favour.
The drama was far from over. Banbridge’s lively scrum half darted from the 22, skipping past two tackles to score in the corner. The missed conversion left the visitors ahead 21–24 with only minutes remaining.
With two minutes signalled, Dungannon launched one final assault. Banbridge kicked long, but Dungannon worked their way back into the opposition 22. A blocked clearance from Banka kept the pressure on, and powerful carries from the Courtney twins earned a penalty right in front of the posts. Dungannon wanted the win — not the draw.
Aydan Byrne tapped quickly and drove forward, followed by Balajti, who was stopped just short. Hadden then shifted the ball wide to the ever dangerous Adam Nixon. He beat two defenders, and dived over in the corner to spark huge celebrations among the home support in what was a thrilling 26–24 victory.
Dungannon return to Stevenson Park next week, where they host City of Armagh in what promises to be another fiercely contested encounter as they look to maintain their unbeaten start.