Creggs 24. Ballinrobe. 18

A remarkable injury time scoring spree secured a losing bonus point for Ballinrobe against Creggs at The Green on Sunday. With eighty minutes gone, Creggs were leading 24-8 and a fourth try looked to be on the cards but Ballinrobe, realising a bonus point was the most they could salvage, managed just that with ten unanswered points in the dying moments. The Mayo men began with a try against the run of play after five minutes. A Creggs attack broke down on the 22 and Ballinrobe ran the length of the field but failed to add the conversion. Creggs remained in control both in terms of territory and possession but found scores hard to come by thanks to tenacious tackling by the opposition but also to handling and tactical errors on their part. A Mark Brandon penalty after 20 minutes reduced the deficit and ten minutes later Creggs got their breakthrough score, a well worked James Brandon try from a lineout, converted by Mark Brandon. Just before halftime, prop Aidan Leech finished off a forward drive with a try close to the posts, Mark Brandon again adding the conversion to leave his side 17-5 ahead at the interval. Creggs continued to dominate in the early stages of the second half but failed to add to their score and a rather harsh sinbinning against James Brandon left them a man down as the game entered the final quarter. Ballinrobe pressed but the Creggs defence held with Chris Duignan and Peter Lohan quite outstanding, and the visitors only reward was a well struck Dan Keane penalty after 70 minutes. Five minutes later with Ballinrobe still on the attack, a handling error was pounced on by Creggs centre Eoghan Coyle making a searing break to put fullback Ronan Dowd under the posts for the clinching score which Mark Brandon converted. Ballinrobe summoned up one last mighty effort to salvage a bonus point when all seemed lost. Next up for Creggs, away to NUIG on Sunday 2.30 in Dangan Sports Complex, Galway. Creggs :Ronan Dowd,Michael Farrell,Peter Lohan,Eoghan Coyle,Luke Meehan,Mark Brandon,Chris Duignan:Aidan Leech,Sean Og Higgins,Mike Blighe,Tom Fleming,Brian Donoghue,James Brandon,Kevin Brandon,Alan Brandon,Eoghan Farrell,Ronan Cahill,Michael Holland,Philip Leech,Damien Nolan.