Young Munster let it slip again

YOUNG MUNSTER - 18 BALLMENA - 19: For the second successive time Young Munster failed to turn a match-winning lead into precious league points.

A couple of weeks ago, they led UCD by 20 points and still managed to get beaten. On Saturday, they were six ahead of Ballymena going into the dying moments only to concede a last-minute converted try. This latest reverse may have provided a bonus point for Munsters but that is a long way short of what they need if they are to escape from the bottom of the table.

They certainly are staring relegation in the face, standing as they do eight points behind DLSP, the second last side, with only four matches to play. Ballymena's Ireland A outhalf Paddy Wallace was the inspiration behind a Ballymena victory that has gone a long way towards easing their own relegation fears. He kicked four penalties and added the match-winning points to Stanley McDowell's 77th-minute try.

But Young Munster will be kicking themselves for allowing this game to slip away. Playing against the gale force winds and fierce thunder showers in the first half, they were 12-5 behind at the break. They enjoyed a very good spell early in the second half and went 18-12 in front with a couple of penalties by skipper Mike Lynch and a try by Rob Henderson. But scrumhalf Alan Keyttle and Wallace combined to send McDowell in for Ballymena's late try that Wallace converted. There and then one felt Munsters were waving farewell to Division One rugby.

Scoring sequence: 3 mins, P. Wallace pen 3-0; 15 mins, Wallace pen 6-0; 19 mins, Wallace pen 9-0. 28 mins, B. Cantrell try 9-5. 34 mins, Wallace pen 12-5 half time. 43 mins, M. Lynch pen 12-8; 50 mins, Lynch pen 12-11; 61 mins, R. Henderson try, Lynch con 12-18; 77 mins, S. McDowell try, Wallace con 19-18.

BALLYMENA: N Beddows; G Mitchell, S McDowell, A Larkin, J Topping; P Wallace, A Keyttle; S McConnell, P Shields, W McAllister, P McBride, D O'Kane, J Taggart, N McMillen, D McCartney. Replacements - B Young for McAllister, 30 mins; D Patrick for McCartney 73.

YOUNG MUNSTER: C Casey; F Hogan, M Mullins, R Henderson, C Doyle; M Lynch, M Prendergast; D Clohessy, B Cantrell, P Hanlon, D Peters, C Power, S McGrath, M Ngarimu, K Gallagher. Replacements - D McNamara for McGrath 29 mins; E Reddan f or Doyle 80.

Referee: P. Eakin (Ulster).