Winning start for Garryowen

Garryowen got their AIB League Division One title defence off to a winning start with a four-try win over Ballymena at Eaton Park.

Ballymena 3 Garryowen 26, Eaton Park

Garryowen got their AIB League Division One title defence off to a winning start with a four-try 26-3 win over Ballymena at Eaton Park this afternoon.

Having won just one of their last seven league encounters with Garryowen, the Braidmen needed a good start but they were left trailing by 13-3 at half-time.

New signing Donovan Raw notched a penalty for the hosts but tries from Lorcan Bourke and Ciaran O’Boyle stretched Garryowen ahead and their victory was completed by second half tries from Paul Neville and Conor Kilroy.

Coached this season by former club captain Dara O'Sullivan and ex-Scotland scrum half Greig Oliver, Garryowen made what they could of the tricky elements - they were wind-assisted in the first half - to establish an early lead and keep the hosts at bay.

New recruit Bourke, who was signed from Old Crescent, darted over for the first of Garryowen's four tries, with AIB Club international O'Boyle following suit.

Sandwiched in between those scores was a Conor Kilroy penalty, while Ballymena's only points of the half and indeed the entire match came from a Donovan Raw penalty.

Garryowen moved up a gear in the second period, scoring two fine tries through flanker and captain Neville and goal-kicking full-back Kilroy.

Munster Academy player Conan Doyle initiated the attacks for both scores. He slotted in at number 10 and found an excellent touch before a lineout steal and two quick mauls led to Neville crashing over.

The clinching try came when Doyle spotted a gap out wide and the supporting Federico Quaglia put Kilroy over for a well-worked try.

The victory, Garryowen's 13th in 21 league trips to Ulster, had the champions sitting pretty at the top of the table after the opening day.

Next Saturday's clash with their Limerick rivals Shannon, who recently beat them in the Munster Senior Cup, will give a better indication as to how O'Sullivan's charges will fare this season.

Scorers: Ballymena: Pen: Donovan Raw

Garryowen: Tries: Lorcan Bourke, Ciaran O’Boyle, Paul Neville, Conor Kilroy; Pens: Conor Kilroy 2

HT: Ballymena 3 Garryowen 13