Corinthians were unable to contain Ballymena in Eaton Park on Saturday afternoon. Even though the visitors started strongly enough they were unable to breach the Eaton Park try line. Corinthians half’s Phil Maher and Miah Nikora in their first outing together were unable to to capitalize on their early dominance. After twenty minutes of play as the home side weathered out the visitors dominance as flanker Stephen Mulholland slipped a lovely pass to man of the match scrumhalf David Shanahan to get in for their first touchdown. Outhalf Richie McMaster added the extras from out wide. Corinthians upped their game again as veteran lock Gary Warde and hooker Joey Merrigan drove forward at every opportunity and were eventually awarded on the home side twenty two meter line but Nikora was just wide off the mark. Ballymena got their second touchdown just before the break as tight head Adrian Kilpatrick broke loose from a maul to get over the whitewash out wide. McMaster missed out on the extras.
The Galway outfit were on the attack immediately after the break as front rows Jamie Dever and Ronan Loughney drove forward but IRFU referee Sean Gallagher called play back another opportunity lost. The visitors were still in the contest with great fielding by fullback David Panter and releasing to right winger Darin Claaen but it all came to naught as the northerners held their line. In the seventh minute the referee penalized the Cloonacauneen outfit for an infringment and McMaster slotted same to increase their lead. With time running out Shanahan got in for his second touchdown after a lovely pick by a former Corinthian and Connaught player Mike McComish. McMaster was wide with the convert. Gallagher blew the final whistle at this stage leaving the Ulster boys winning by Twenty points to nil.
Corinthian Team; J Dever.J Merrigan.R Loughney.G Warde.C Rafferty.D Phelan.J Connolly.E Masterson.P Maher.M Nikora.O Daly.C Ryan.J Buckley(capt).D Classin.D Panter. Subs; A Bane.M Byrne.A Broderick.M Murphy.C Dillane.
Corinthians next game is at home to Malone on Saturday the 30th of Sept. Kick off 2.30pm. Venue Cloonacauneen Park.
