Old Belvedere triumph against off form Dungannon

Dungannon 12 Old Belvedere 29, Stevenson Park

Dungannon’s poor defensive record in this season’s AIB League continued at Stevenson Park this afternoon as they leaked four tries to Old Belvedere.

The Tyrone men slipped to bottom spot in the Division One table as Belvo’s Marcin Wilczuk, Barry Kinsella, Eamonn Fitzgerald and Ray Monaghan helped themselves to tries.

Despite a slow start, the Dubliners were 17-5 to the good at half-time with ‘Gannon scoring a breakaway try in reply through AIB Club international Richard McCarter.

McCarter converted another counter attack try from Matt Maguire but Belvo were out of sight with Wilczuk and Monaghan both touching down.

‘Gannon came into the game as the Division One team that had conceded the most points (213) and most tries (25) since the opening day back in October and even without two of their most potent backs – Eoin O’Malley and Felix Jones are on the Leinster bench tonight – Belvo still managed to cut the hosts open.

Experienced out-half Richie Murphy played an influential role once again as his side won for the first time away from home in the league this season – at the sixth attempt.

‘Gannon boasted provincial experienced in their side with the likes of scrum half Kieran Campbell and flanker David Pollock standing out, but John Andrews’ charges were made to pay for a poor second quarter when they let the game get away from them.

During that time, both Fitzgerald and Kinsella managed to cross the whitewash, adding to a 13th-minute penalty effort from Murphy.

Belvo’s burly pack was getting on top but a sin-binning for Polish prop Wilczuk was a setback.

As befits a team in the lower reaches of the table, ‘Gannon struggled for cohesion in attack and the visitors took in the hour mark still with a 12-point lead to their name.

Centre Maguire did rumble over for a try for the hosts but those scores from Wilczuk and Monaghan put the result beyond doubt and handed Belvo their first ever win at the Tyrone venue.