The annual Kyle Cup match between Dungannon and Ballymena was played at Eaton Park on Boxing Day.
Ballymena gained possession from the kick off, with good work moving the ball to get them into Dungannon’s twenty-two. On the five-minute mark Ballymena’s centre Crabbe got the scoreboard ticking over with the first try of the match which was duly converted by Robson.
This was to be the only points in the first half with both teams having opportunities but errors and mistakes crept in.
On thirty five minutes it looked like Dungannon were going to level the scoring when Ben Doran made a break to run the length of the pitch only to be tackled within five metres of the try line. If the ending to the first half was what was to follow in the second half, the crowd watching were in for a treat.
Dungannon turned on the style and Jack Girvan got the visitors first points three minutes in when the backs got the ball moving for Girvan to find a gap in Ballymena’s defence. Zak Holmes converted the try.
This had given the boys in blue and white added confidence as they continued to press at the Ballymena defence for the next score. Jacob Clarke got over the ball in the ruck and Dungannon got the penalty five metres from the halfway. Holmes pointed at the posts, unfortunately the ball sailed wide, and the score remained level at seven all.
Ballymena got penalised for holding on within five metres of the try line, Clarke took a tap and go. Dungannon forwards pushed hard to get the ball over the line and eventually Clarke went in at the corner. The conversion was missed from a tricky angle.
Ballymena’s penalty count was starting to rise when they were penalised for hands on the floor and Dungannon opted to kick to the corner. Dylan McMullan gained possession from the lineout and passed it down to Adam Scott who made a break when the gap was found in defence to score a try. Conversion missed.
Dungannon were now playing well and getting the ball moving with breaks from Ollie McIlravie and Alfie Lewis. However, Ballymena were not finished and were pressing hard at the Dungannon tryline with five minutes to play. It was not to be when the ball came out of the ruck and Louis Johnston kicked through for Alfie Lewis to chase. Lewis outpaced the Ballymena winger and chipped through to catch for a dive over the line and seal the game for Dungannon. Holmes converted the try.