Banbridge Rugby Club - Northern Ireland

The South Dublin side travelled to Rifle Park looking for the win that would see them lift the Division Three title in their first season of senior rugby. And cheered on by the two bus-loads of supporters who had travelled north in expectation of a title-winning performance, they looked to be edging home as the game went into injury time.

But the home fans had seen too many last ditch revivals by their team to have given up hope. And when Seapoint offered Bann a late, late penalty opportunity, Robin Thompson put his earlier indifferent kicking form behind him to find the target from out wide and edge his side into what proved a winning two point lead.

The spirits of the visiting fans and players were temporarily lifted when word filtered through of the defeat of title rivals Instonians at Barnhall. But the gloom re-descended when it emerged that City of Derry had trounced Naas to claim the title on points difference after starting the day in third place in the table.

All that was irrelevant to a Bann side which harboured only the slimmest of chances of moving into a top four automatic promotion slot. What did matter to Bann coaches Daniel Soper and Simon Best was maintaining the level of performance that had seen them pick up bonus point wins on their last two AIL outings.

And the Bann team certainly did that, against a very impressive Seapoint side. Soper's delight with his team's display was clear. "Both teams tried to play rugby out there and I'm sure the spectators enjoyed it," he said after the game as the players celebrated the win.

"Our pack edged the set piece battle and tried to move the ball wide whenever possible. Seapoint are a very good side but the lads just don't know when they're beaten. It's unbelievable the number of games we have won this season in the dying minutes.

"Now we need to take that form into the play-off. If we do that, then we have a very real chance of promotion. We're certainly hitting form at the right time."

Saturday's final round of games in Division Two left Old Crescent anchoring the table. So Bann will travel to Limerick on Saturday week, 30th April, for their most important game since moving into the senior ranks thirteen seasons ago.

Bann made a great start to Saturday's game, dominating possession to win two kicking penalties chances for Thompson in the opening five minutes. The usually reliable boot of the out-half failed him on both occasions but in the 8th minute Bann did take the lead.

When lock Simon McKinstry looped round Thompson from a ruck to collect the No 10's pass he found a gap opening up and showed an unlikely turn of pace to sprint 20 metres and touch down at the posts, leaving Thompson to convert.

Seapoint began to work their way into the game, winning a 22nd minute penalty which out-half Brian Keegan failed to convert. But another penalty three minutes later was kicked to the corner and from the lineout they pressurised close to a number of rucks before moving the ball wide to allow Keegan to stretch over for a try he failed to convert.

As play resumed in the home half Bann failed to find touch from inside their "22". Seapoint's counter-attack was spearheaded by their impressive flanker Stephen Walsh who made good ground down the middle. The ball was again moved left and winger Conor Byrne found enough space to touch down near the corner flag.

The efforts of Bann full-back Ben Purvis to stop a threatening Seapoint attack four minutes into the second half earned him a yellow card. The visitors kicked to set up a 5-metre lineout and lock Mark Barrett forced his way over from the maul.

Keegan's conversion attempt again drifted wide but the league leaders now had a 15-7 lead which centre Gary Foley just failed to extend three minutes later as he was forced into touch at the end of a sweeping Seapoint counter-attack.

James Andrews replaced Jonny Little in the centre for Bann and he made an immediate impact, bursting through the Seapoint midfield to take play close to the visitors' "22". From a subsequent ruck Thompson fed Ashley Finlay with a neat inside pass and the right winger scorched in from 12 metres out for a try which Thompson converted.

As the Seapoint scrum began to creak and their lineout falter, Bann enjoyed increasing territorial advantage. But Thompson failed to hit the target with a 64th minute shot at goal and as the game moved into injury time Seapoint looked like holding on to their single point lead.

Then Thompson was offered that final shot at goal which crept over the bar and Bann played out the two minutes remaining without offering their visitors a way back.

Banbridge team:- Ben Purvis, Ashley Finlay, Andrew Morrison, Jonny Little, Jonny Pollock, Robin Thompson, Adam Ervine, Michael Cromie, Jonny Murphy, Brian Hanna, Colin Bickerstaff, Simon McKinstry, Ryan Patterson, Mark Wilson, Dale Carson. Replacements:- Paul Ross (for Murphy), Chris Allen (for Bickerstaff), Andy Brown (for Carson), Neville Farr (for Ervine), James Andrews (for Little).