Dolphin come out on top

Dolphin 19 Ballymena 12

Dolphin rose to fifth in the Division One table by seeing off Ballymena at Musgrave Park this afternoon.

This was the Cork club's first ever AIB League triumph over Ballymena - at the sixth time of asking.

The Braidmen missed some early kicks, allowing Dolphin to shoot into a 10-0 interval lead. Flanker Rory McGrath sprinted clear for a 20th-minute try and out-half Barry Keeshan kicked five points.

Keeshan tagged on three further penalties, but tries from flanker Neil McMillan and full-back John Nicholl gave Ballymena a losing bonus point.

There was a lot of good rugby in a scoreless opening quarter at the Cork venue but Dolphin, winners over Terenure College last week, began to click before half-time.

Ballymena missed two penalties in the opening four minutes through Craig Woods and just when it looked like the visitors might strike for the opening try after gaining an intercept, Dolphin immediately countered.

They won the ball back through another intercept and McGrath had the pace to make the whitewash from just outside his own 22-metre line.

Keeshan converted before Munster scrum half Tomas O'Leary, who is getting back to fitness after a bout of pneumonia, dropped a neat goal when a penalty was forthcoming to Dolphin.

Jacques Benade's charges increased their efforts on the restart and after some 20-plus phases, Ballymena worked Ulster's Neil McMillan over for a fine score which Woods converted.

Five minutes later, Keeshan crept Dolphin's advantage back up to six points at 13-7 and with the home side using the wind better in the second half, their number 10 added two more penalties to take his haul for the season to 107 points.

A simple case of numbers out wide allowed Ballymena to score again in injury-time through Nicholl, but Dolphin's impressive home record in this season's league remains - this was their sixth straight home success since October.

Scorers:

Dolphin: Try: Rory McGrath; Con: Barry Keeshan; Pens: Barry Keeshan 3; Drop: Tomas O'Leary

Ballymena: Tries: Neil McMillan, John Nicholl; Con: Craig Woods

HT: Dolphin 10 Ballymena 0