Banbridge Rugby Club - Northern Ireland

The visitors squad was missing a number of players who had lined out in the previous week's AIL defeat at Buccaneers, with Ulster Ravens call-ups and injury depleting their ranks. Bann were without their leading try-scorer, full-back Brendan Ward, who was recuperating from injury and Jonny Murphy, with the hooker following Ulster Rugby management instructions to rest.

Bann edged possession and territory in the first half, but ‘Hinch always looked the more dangerous when in possession. Indeed both the visitors' tries originated from turnover ball inside their own half.

The first, with 9 minutes played, owed everything to the slick handling of the ‘Hinch threequarters who ran ball back at the home defence, with centre James Thompson taking the final pass 12 metres out to make the touchdown. Out-half James Lash mis-kicked the attempted conversion.

Bann enjoyed a period of pressure with centre Jonny Little and flanker Mark Wilson just being held out. But another break-out, spearheaded by the impressive Thompson and his centre partner Stuart Morrow, forced Bann into desperate defence from a five metre lineout.

The visitors' mid-field duo broke through the Bann defence again as the half hour approached but when the ball went to ground three metres out from the try line, No 8 Stephen Irvine was on hand to gather and set up a clearance kick.

Bann's equalising try came nine minutes before the break. Andrew Morrison struck a "22" drop-out deep into the ‘Hinch half. Bann managed to retrieve the ball and out-half Robin Thompson made a half-break before finding the supporting Little with a short pass to put the centre in at the posts. Thompson's conversion attempt was on a par with his opposite number's earlier effort, leaving the sides level at the break.

Bann's tactic of holding the tackled player up earned them a number of scrums early in the second half, and with their set piece solid the opposition were denied quality ball for long periods. With 53 minutes played ‘Hinch flanker Jamie Kirk suffered a serious leg injury and play was held up for some 20 minutes while he received attention.

The winning score came five minutes after the resumption. A poor Bann pass gave away possession and the 'Hinch counter-attack, from their own "22", finished with winger Robin Harte outflanking the home defence to score out wide. This time Lash struck over the testing conversion.

Bann had their chances to draw level in the final quarter, with surging runs from Simon McKinstry and Michael Cromie just being denied by the ‘Hinch defence. The pressure on the visitors intensified with replacement scrum-half Harry McAleese's yellow card for a technical offence at a ruck. But with successive injuries to the ‘Hinch front row resulting in uncontested scrums, Bann's superiority at the set piece was negated and the opposition held out for the win.

Bann team against Ballynahinch:- Stephen Cowan, Jonny Pollock, Andrew Morrison, Jonny Little, Andrew Kirkwood, Robin Thompson, Neville Farr, Michael Cromie, David Weir, Brian Hanna, Colin Bickerstaff, Simon McKinstry (Capt), Andy Brown, Mark Wilson, Stephen Irvine. Replacements:- Jonny Weir, Dale Carson, Kacper Kruzycki, Adam Doherty, Ryan Cobb.