Bad start unhinges Buccs as Down side claim the points

BUCCANEERS came away empty-handed from Ballymacarn Park where Ballynahinch made the most of a flying start to win this Ulster Bank League Division 1B encounter 22-14 on a sunny but bitterly cold Saturday afternoon in the Co. Down foothills. Victory means that the northerners exchange places in the League table as they move up to third hot on the heels of two other Ulster clubs Ballymena and leaders Belfast Harlequins. Buccs were again well below full strength with three players involved with the Ireland U-20s, while another trio were included in the Connacht squad. However, Kolo Kiripati returned at No. 8 while both John O'Brien and Paul Harte started although carrying niggly injuries. Ulster utilised a pair of Hinch favourites, Willie Faloon and Ian Whitten, while Neil Hanna was on the home bench due to a knock. Ballynahinch had first assistance of the fresh, diagonal breeze on their elevated ground in front of a decent attendance who braved the harsh weather that included flurries of snow. Yet Buccs began brighter but Jack Carty's 3rd minute penalty from a central position against the elements went wide. But, facing equally youthful opponents who had failed to win in their three previous fixtures, Buccs gifted Hinch exactly what they needed to boost their confidence when they conceded two rapid fire tries. The first on 6 minutes followed a fine maul by the Hinch pack with Robin Harte finishing off in the right corner. James Lash's conversion rebounded into play off the top of the near upright but, within two minutes, he was converting James Thompson's touchdown. This stemmed from uncertain play in the midlanders' play when Kiripati allowed the ball to bounce over his head and then Conor Lavelle didn't attack a cute Lash grubber kick. Carty did well to deny the hosts here but, from the restart, centre Thompson could hardly believe the space and time afforded to him to dot down at the posts for a 12-0 lead. Buccs were now in disarray and matters could have been a lot worse on the scoreboard by the end of the opening quarter but Hinch ruined an overlap when their final pass went straight into touch on the right and, shortly afterwards, O'Brien did well to hold his ground as his opposite number David Nicholson attacked. The homesters continued to attack as the Pirates failed to reach the necessary tempo and they were hanging on. Hopes of reaching half-time without any further damage on the scoreboard did not happen as a clever Lash chip exposed the visitors once again and Aaron Ferris ran in for their third try which New Zealander Lash converted. It was all too easy for Hinch in this opening half hour although Buccs did get some territory in the closing stages, but both Kiripati and Padraig de Burca knocked on in the face of stout tackling when the Athlone outfit threatened the home line. Hinch almost secured a bonus point before the break when Thompson again caused chaos in the Pirates defence escaping three would-be tacklers but Alex Hayman came to their rescue although he had little option but to hold on to possession and concede a penalty which Lash stroked over for a commanding 22-0 half-time advantage to the hosts. The generally reserved Buccs Coach Hendre Marnitz was unusually vocal in his half-time "team talk" to his players for, even allowing for the missing personnel and there was quite a few, the first-half display was nevertheless unacceptably poor. Whatever he said, Buccs were a much more forceful and better organised outfit in the second period as they now forced the pace. James Tormey won good lineout ball on 47 minutes and substitute Hayman made a splendid break that really stretched the home defence before he off-loaded to Mark McCrea, who scored his first try for Buccs wide on the left. Carty landed a fine conversion and now there was more cohesion and improved support play by the midlanders. Carty made a splendid snipe ten minutes later but a scrambling home defence just managed to cut off his path to the try-line and his pass to Lavelle could not find his intended target. Almost immediately, a loose pass by Adam Kennedy as Buccs attacked again was fastened onto by Harte but Carty and Kennedy chased back effectively to quell this danger. Another Buccs try looked inevitable as they continued to press forward but committed and organised Hinch defending kept them out until the 67th minute. Then, in a move initiated by Diarmuid Higgins, Buccs showed excellent handling and clever ball retention as they went through the phases, before Garrett Halligan thundered in for a try which Carty converted to reduce the arrears to 22-14. The momentum was now with the Pirates but then the classy Lash made huge ground with a mazy run that took Ballynahinch deep into Buccs territory. They now piled forward in search of a fourth try but Buccs were now more resilient and held the hosts scoreless in the second period. Home skipper Hanna was sin-binned for a cynical tackle late in the game but Hinch now put the ball up their collective jersey and Buccaneers could not salvage a bonus point, despite a much improved showing in the second half. Mark Dolan and Hayman apart, their backline did not function up to standard while the forwards, where Kiripati and Higgins were most prominent, were too often isolated. Lash and Thompson caused all sorts of problems for the visitors when in possession, while flanker Gavin Armstrong was the most dynamic forward for Ballynahinch, who will wonder how they did not translate their promising tonic start into a bonus point win. Scorers - Ballynahinch: R. Harte (try), J. Thompson (try) A. Ferris (try) & J. Lash (2 con + pen). Buccaneers: M. McCrea (try), G. Halligan (try), J. Carty (2 cons). Ballynahinch Buccaneers: J.O'Brien; C.Lavelle, P.Harte, A.Kennedy, M.McCrea; J.Carty, M.Dolan; M.Staunton, S.Stapleton, D.Higgins; P.de Burca, J.Tormey; D.Heffernan, L.Satchwell & K.Kiripati (captain). Replacements used: A.Hayman (for Harte, 32 mins), G.Halligan (for Stapleton, 32), A.Connaughton (for de Burca, 64), Harte (for Kennedy, 64) Stapleton (for Halligan, 64). Ballynahinch: D.Nicholson; R.Harte, S.Morrow, J.Thompson, A.Ferris; J.Lash, H.McAleese; Johnny Simpson, F.Lynch, G.Cronin; C.Napier, James Simpson; J.Madden, G.Armstrong & J.Graham. Replacements: M.McCormick (for Cronin, 32), N.Hanna (for Lynch, h/t), Cronin (for McCormick, 60), A.Cairns (for Napier, 60) . Referee: John Carville (IRFU).