Head Coach Graham Cloke used this Conference League game against Ballymena II to explore his options for the forthcoming Qualifying League campaign introducing debutants Matthew Kennedy, Chade Gelderman and Andy Jarvis to the side and resting a number of the most experienced 1st XV tyros from recent years. Combined with a number of unavailabilities this meant the Dee side took the field with a most unfamiliar look about it. In absence of skipper Nigel Barker Chris Good assumed the reigns and soon had his charges on the front foot with a series of strong rolling mauls leading to Gareth Deering going over for an unconverted try in the corner. At this early stage of the game the Dee were well in control but unfortunately a breakaway from the Ballymena backs led to a chip and run with the ball trickling over the Dee line with the opposing winger in hot pursuit before home full-back Ryan Irvine touched down. Regrettably the referee, who may well have been unsighted, was swayed by the claims of the Eton Park men and awarded the try which was converted to give the visitors the lead. This set-back then seemed to have an unsettling effect on the Dee men and Ballymena scored two tries in quick succession both of which exposed a combination of frailty and naivety in in the home backline defence and Ballymena stretched out a 17-5 lead. At this point the Dee regained their composure with pack leader Jack Cooke impressing in open play and, crucially, making the calls which led to the Dee dominating the line-out. Eventually, on the stroke of half-time another Dee drive from the pack just inside the twenty-two led to Kennedy powering over close to the posts – Paul Blewitt adding the extras to leave the score 12-17 at the break.

The start of the period in many ways mimicked the first with the Dee scrum dominating and hooker Gareth Gordon hitting his jumpers at line-out time. The pressure exerted was however to no avail as stern Ballymena defence was denying the enterprising efforts of the home backs where centre Johnny Quigg and Irvine, in particular, were causing problems for the visitors. Again, however, a lapse in concentration allowed Ballymena back onto the front foot and they scored through a combination of their barnstorming Nos. 7 & 13 who had both been causing problems in the home ranks all afternoon. The Dee struck back almost immediately and the powerful Cooke went over to take the score to 17-22 with fifteen minutes to play. There now followed a period of Ballymena pressure and a succession of Dee infringements led to two Braidmen tap penalties which were both snuffed out by rock-like home defence before, on the award of a third penalty Ballymena took the pragmatic decision and knocked the penalty between the uprights. Donaghadee still weren’t beaten however and great work from the pack with youngsters Tommy Scullion, Matthew Johnston and Owen Roberts in the vanguard supported by Chris Scott, Andy McGrugan and Chris McGivern in the backs led to Cooke powering over once again with Blewitt converting to bring the score to 24-25 with only injury time remaining. Ballymena kicked off and the ball was secured by the Dee pack before Jarvis broke through the Ballymena defence to produce quick ruck ball for srum-half Gelderman who cleverly switched the direction of play to allow Irvine to release Quigg who outpaced the despairing Ballymena defence to score the winning points in the corner. Final score 29-25 to the Donaldson Park men.

The coaching team of Cloke, John West & Paddy McGrattan will have been delighted with the first win of the season and impressed by the never-say-die attitude of this fledgling side but will be confident that the frailties evident in defence will be ironed out on the training paddock over the course of the next few weeks. The return of those absent yesterday over the next three weeks in successive Conference games leading to the Junior Cup First Round game at the end of September against Academy will also undoubtedly improve combinations and options. Impressive contributions in yesterday’s game from Cooke, Johnson, Quigg, Gelderman and Deering – amongst others – but Man of the Match goes to Matthew Kennedy whose powerhouse performance at No. 6 augurs well for the league campaign to come.

Other results yesterday:

Qualifying Two

Ballymoney 13 Grosvenor 10
Coleraine 38 Enniskillen 3
Lisburn 6 Randalstown 17

Qualifying One

Ards 26 Instonians 30
Clogher Valley 32 CIYMS 3
Omagh 22 Dromore 17

Conference Two

Academy w/o Queens II (Queens could not field)
Larne w/o Malone II (Malone could not field)
Carrick 64 Banbridge II 7

Conference One

Portadown 7 Belfast Harlequins II 24
Cooke 29 Ballyhinch II 20