Rugby men aim to get back to winning ways in cup semi-final

BALLYMENA coach John Andrews is determined that his team won’t undo all of its good work in the first half of the season by crumbling in 2012.

The Braidmen ended 2011 sitting proudly at the top of Division 1B of the All-Ireland League and with the Ulster Senior Cup in the Eaton Park trophy cabinet.

But Ballymena have endured a stuttering start to the new year with an AIL defeat at Belfast Harlequins followed up by Saturday’s 39-13 humbling by Dungannon in the same competition.

The defeat saw Ballymena dumped down to fifth position in the table.

John Semple kicked two penalties and also converted a late try by Roger McBurney which spared Ballymena from an even greater margin of defeat.

“Unhappy would be one word to describe it,” said Andrews.

“We just have to take it on the chin. It was a day when too many mistakes kept giving the ball away.

“Against a side like Dungannon, you just cannot afford to do that.

“It was a good learning curve for the young players,” accepted Andrews. “But you also want to go out and really be contesting in these games. When we took to the field we firmly believed we could win the game.

“But you want to be coming in to these sort of games and having a crack at the opposition. Sometimes it just does not go for you.”

Ballymena have the consolation of a quick return to action this weekend when they play in the semi-final of the All-Ireland Cup, a by-product of that Ulster Senior Cup success in December.

The Braidmen travel to Dublin to take on Old Belvedere, who are currently bottom of Division 1A, but Andrews isn’t paying too much attention to that statistic.

“We are certainly not looking at their position in the league table. They are a good side, we know that from past experience, and it is going to be a very tough challenge for us.

“Given the way things have gone in the past two weeks it is actually a blessing to have the Cup semi-final coming up. It changes the focus and provides an opportunity to get things back on track.

“It seems to be that we do quite well away from home. We certainly have had some good results this season on the road.”

“There is no pressure on us as they will be the favourites, but we will going to Dublin and giving it a good lash. One win can just turn the tide again as we already know this season,” added Andrews.

OWEN O’KANE

Before Saturday’s game at Eaton Park both teams observed a minute’s silence in memory of Owen O’Kane, father of Ballymena club captain Darrell O’Kane, who passed away on Saturday morning.

Owen was a well-known face at Eaton Park and further afield where he combined his loves of rugby and photography by producing images which were regularly used on the club website.

A club spokesman said: “He was a familiar figure at both home and away games in behind the opposition posts catching the action and sharing his efforts generously with the Club and the local press.

“Although seriously ill, and fully aware that he had not much time left, he continued to pursue his passion for photography, as recently as the Cup Final in December.

“Owen will be missed by the Club, not only as a photographer, but as a lover of the game and a true gentleman,” the spokesman added.

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