Banbridge Rugby Club - Northern Ireland

Bann had just missed out on promotion last season, but this was a pale shadow of the side that had run Old Crescent so close in the end-of-season promotion play-off. The personnel may have been largely unchanged from that game in Limerick in the spring, but for all save a 10 minute spell at the start of the second half Bann were unable to impose themselves on this match.

Indeed for most of the first half the game was played out in the visitors' half, with Bann unable at any stage to work their way inside the Cashel "22". Given that degree of territorial disadvantage it was surprising that Bann only conceded one try before half-time and 16 points in total. When they changed ends it looked like a different team as they took the play to the opposition, playing controlled rugby for a 10 minute spell that yielded two tries and seemingly setting themselves up for a win.

But after the second try the Bann resurgence petered out. Cashel lost No 8 Brendan O'Connor to the sin-bin on the hour, but apart from Robin Thompson's missed penalty attempt Bann never looked like taking advantage.

And in the final 10 minutes it was Cashel who looked more likely to add to their tally, with three penalty attempts all failing to find the target. That was surprising, given Darragh O'Brien's accuracy off the tee in the first half.

The full-back's two penalties from 38 and 28 metres had opened up a six point gap after 20 minutes play. And when Bann mis-handled the re-start after the second, Cashel hacked through and Bann winger Jonny Pollock only just won the race to the touchdown.

Cashel's try on the half hour exposed a worrying defensive deficiency, with flanker Ed Leamy taking pivot Olly McGlinchey's blindside feed from a scrum and sprinting 40 metres unopposed to the try line. O'Brien added a superb touchline conversion and a third penalty before the interval.

Then came that brief Bann revival after the break. Andrew Morrison's incisive run set up good field position and when Bann won a five metre scrum they had the home eight in such disarray that the referee awarded a penalty try to which Thompson added the conversion.

Another scrum five minutes later and just eight metres out saw No 8 Stephen Irvine pick up and run in for the touchdown without a Cashel hand being laid on him.

Thompson's conversion was off-target and normal service was restored as Cashel's superior ball-retention allowed them to dictate terms for the remainder of the game.

Bann can consider themselves fortunate to have picked up a losing bonus point and a considerable improvement will be needed against Armagh on Saturday if the Rifle Park side is to reverse the Ulster League result against a team that hit impressive form in their win over Wanderers.

Bann team against Cashel:- Brendan Ward, Jonny Pollock, Andrew Morrison, James Andrews, Andrew Kirkwood, Robin Thompson, Neville Farr, Michael Cromie, David Weir, Brian Hanna, Colin Bickerstaff, Simon McKinstry (Capt), Dale Carson, Jamie McDonald, Stephen Irvine. Replacements:- Paul Ross, Alan Conn, Chris Allen, Adam Ervine, John Porter.