Newly promoted Nenagh Ormond provided a potential banana skin for Adam Craig and his Ballynahinch side as they continue to bounce back from their heavy home defeat to Terenure and given the tough run of fixtures ahead five points was the target. Jon Rodgers made his first AIL start in the back row while fellow young gun Ryan Connolly maintained his place at lock. Sam Warwick and Stephen Campbell also remained in the squad as Craig continues to reward players in form for the high flying second fifteen.

The excellent artificial surface in Nenagh meant the match was under no threat from the bad weather sweeping across the south of the island and Ballynahinch made the perfect start with in form prop Tom McAllister crashing over from close range after just four minutes. Nenagh responded with a period of pressure but had just a ninth minute penalty to show for their efforts and they were made to pay midway through the half when an excellent break from Conor Rankin put Aaron Sexton in space and he cruised home with trademark ease.

Leading by nine points at the break, Ballynahinch all but sealed the result early in the second half when Bradley Luney scored but the bonus point try proved elusive until Warwick again showed his eye for the tryline, backing up last week’s hat trick in the Bateman Cup semi-final with the crucial fourth try to give his side a maximum haul of points to take north on the long journey home.