Ballina 2nd XV traveled to Creggs on Sunday for their first league game of the season and it proved to be a successful afternoon.
Ballina were dominant in territory, set pieces and open play, but Creggs were far superior at the breakdown and forced a number of turnovers throughout the game.
By the 14th minute Ballina were starting to move the ball well and Mark Healy scored a fine try out on the left wing. Craig Culkin stepped up and converted the try for a deserved 0-7 lead.
The Ballina men kept driving forward and Andrew Ruane got on the end of another attack on the left side to make it 0-12 after 23 minutes before Mark Healy crossed again to make it 0-17 after 28 minutes after again attacking the Creggs left wing.
The home side eventually got on the board when they converted a penalty to make it 3-17, but Ballina were soon back on the front foot and Ronan Molloy ran straight through a number of Creggs defenders to score on the stroke of halftime for a 3-22 lead at the interval.

The second half was a different story altogether. The home side were much more competitive and attacked at every opportunity. They got a try after 15 minutes of the half and another in the final play of the game to finish just seven points adrift,15-22 at the final whistle.
Ballina were delighted to begin the season with a fine win on the road but the Moysiders just didn't have the same accuracy or continuity to their game in the second half. They'll be hoping to improve on this aspect next time out.

The next game is against NUIG in Heffernan Park next Saturday, October 15th when the home side will be hoping to make it two wins from two outings.

The squad on view against Creggs was; Craig Culkin, Darren Holmes, Jack Scott, Ronan Molloy, Eddie Dodd, Robert Melody, Neil Molloy, Brian Dunleavy, Ethan Preston, Gary Kavanagh, Andrew Ruane, Shane Timlin, Mark Healy, Henry Hewson, Stephen Dolan, Alistair Brown, Orrey Collins, Oisin Loughney, Kevin Howley, Sam Liebezeit, Adrian Kelly

Special thanks to Robert Gawley for the report.