Late tries end DLSP's fight

Palmerstown's sturdy defence finally cracked under the strain. For an hour of their rugged encounter against Dungannon at a storm-battered Stevenson Park they competed adequately. Dungannon, however, had more experience and that carried them through to a third AIL victory.

Two late tries spelt the end of the Leinster side's brave challenge, intense Dungannon pressure forcing errors which opened up gaps for Jan Cunningham and Stephen Bell to punish.

"We were caught by two or three turnovers, which were crucial at the time they came," said Palmerstown coach Phil Werahiko. "We had all our numbers in the ruck, and when the ball came out on the turnover we had very little cover, and we were caught on the hop."

Werahiko is treating every game as part of a learning process which he is certain will help his side grow and mature. "It was always going to be difficult, coming into the top division, but we're learning to cope against strong opposition, and to realise what it's going to take for us to stay in the first division."

Dungannon coach Willie Anderson never feared defeat. "I knew we had enough to do it, after the way we played in the first half. We played some super rugby in the first 15 minutes, and there were some excellent performances."

Despite Dungannon's bright opening, it was the visitors who struck the first significant blow with a classic counter-attacking try from full back Shane Stevens. Second row Keith Walker quickly scored for Dungannon, and after the sides were locked at 13-13 at the break, out-half Tommy James put Palmerstown back in front with a penalty.

Scoring Sequence: 4 mins: Humphreys pen, 3-0; 9: Stevens try, James conv, 3-7; 11: Humphreys pen, 6-7; 16: Walker try, Humphreys conv, 11-7; 24: James pen, 13-10; 36: James pen, 13-13; 50: James pen, 13-16; 52: Humphreys pen, 16-16; 56: Humphreys pen, 19-16; 62: Cunningham try, Humphreys conv, 26-16; 67: Bell try, Humphreys conv, 33-16.

Dungannon: J Bell; J Davis, J Cunningham, Alistair Clarke, T Howe; D Humphreys, S Bell; J Fitzpatrick, Allen Clarke, G Leslie, P Johns, K Walker, P Curry, A Hughes, A Boyd. Replace- ments: M Beggs for Hughes. DLSP: S Stevens; J Corr, N O'Riordan, B Wood, E Devitt; T James, B Hogan; K Condren, S O'Donnell, E Moore, K Wheelock, R Frost, T Giles, D Maher, D O'Brien. Replacements: Stgephen Cullen for Moore.

Referee: M White (Leinster).