Dungannon earn a ‘satisfying’ win

DUNGANNON claimed a fourth win in a row on Saturday when they overcame a dogged Galwegians in Galway to cement second place in the Energia All-Ireland League 2B table.

In horrendous conditions, the Stevenson Park men were forced to dig deep against a Galwegians team who have resurrected their season after a tough start. The home side had lost their first seven fixtures of the campaign after earning promotion, each with a losing bonus point, but had won four in a row themselves to move into the promotion picture, so Dungannon certainly weren’t taking them lightly.

With their hosts boasting good form and the weather not allowing for too much in the way of entertaining rugby, the match was a dogged affair which Dungannon shaded in the early stages as James Gamble’s fourth minute try, converted by Ben McCaughey gave them an early advantage.

The game stagnated somewhat after that and it was Galwegians who struck first in the second half when Ryan Roche knocked over a penalty before he missed the conversion of Steve Mannion’s try.

With less than 30 minutes remaining, Dungannon trailed by one point but then up stepped McCaughey to slot over a penalty to give the visitors a two point advantage which they held onto by the skin of their teeth as Roche missed a similar effort just after the hour mark.

At the final whistle, Dungannon’s win was met with relief by coach, Jonny Patton, who along with Jonny Graham, was in charge in the absence of head coach, Jonny Gillespie.

“The guys gritted it out, particularly second half,” Patton observed. “It all came down to a real good mentality really. We were 7-0 up with a fairly significant wind but then the conditions just continued to deteriorate and it was backs to the wall but it was really satisfying to get the job done.

“Wins like that are key at this stage of the season because it’s about momentum, winning games is a good habit and just to get over the line in a really tough place to come, so to fight and get over the line, the boys deserve it.

“They had a couple of wins on the bounce and they are a good side. They are a big athletic side, so to get over the line is very pleasing. Now, it wouldn’t have been out best rugby but it wasn’t a day for it. There will be another day for that. It was about fighting and getting across the line and showing heart and all the rest of it.”

Saturday’s victory was particularly important in terms of the promotion picture as it leaves Dungannon second, eight points ahead of third-placed Clogher Valley, who won at home against Sligo and eight points behind leaders Wanderers, who won over Malahide.

And with Wanderers visiting Stevenson Park next on February 8, followed by a trip to Clogher on February 15, the top of the table could look a lot different in a few weeks’ time.