Chairman’s column: Closing straight finally in sight in AIL marathon

We played the first game at the end of September, and it is an indication of the disjointed nature of the campaign that to date we have played only 11 games, leaving four between now and the final game on April 12. Saturday’s win against Seapoint, coupled with defeats to other teams in contention for promotion has left us very handily placed, occupying third spot, one point behind the team above, which just happens to be Barnhall, but with a game in hand.

The game against Seapoint, who are not yet clear of relegation, illustrated once again that nothing can be taken for granted. With a nine point lead at half time we appeared to be cruising, but two converted tries virtually out of nothing left us trailing by 14 points to 9, facing considerable embarrassment.

That obviously gave the players a bit of a jolt, because they went on to score three tries and deliver the victory by 31 points to 14, helped a bit the referee’s decision to award two yellow cards to Seapoint, who played the last ten minutes with 13 men.

But the lesson is pretty clear – every team in the division can cause us problems, and with three of the remaining four games to be played away from home, in Limerick, Cork and Magherafelt, we can make no assumptions. Promotion is a very real possibility, but it will not come easily.

In the Ulster Senior League, we will finish second, a great improvement on last year’s performance. We are too far ahead of the third placed team to be caught, and the League leaders, Ballynahinch, are unlikely to slip up in their last game at Armagh.

The other teams in the club are prospering too, with three of them through to the semi-final of their cup competitions, and the Youth section also doing well. Having disposed of Ballymoney in the quarter final of the Towns Cup, our seconds have drawn Clogher Valley at home in the semi-final. There is never anything easy at that stage of a cup competition, but Clogher Valley are the outstanding team in Qualifying One, and will present the sternest of challenges.

That challenge has been made that bit stiffer by the fact that the 1st XV will have to travel to Cork that weekend to play the postponed game against UCC, but coach Gareth Fisher has assembled a good squad, and is upbeat about his team’s chances.

Equally optimistic is Alan Reynolds, manager of the 4th XV who have drawn Instonians at home in the semi- final of the Forster Cup. That is a complete turnaround in fortunes from last year, when the fourths struggled to field a team and made a swift exit from the cup, but this year, with a home draw, stand every chance of getting into the Final.

There is, of course, “many a slip”, but it is possible that two Ballymena teams could contest the final of the Forster Cup, with the Fifths also in the semi-final, meeting local rivals, Ballyclare Fourths.

There are reports, still to be confirmed, that the traditional venue for junior finals, Ravenhill, will no longer be made available to club sides, as Ulster seek to preserve the pitch.

If that is the case, does it not further point up the growing chasm between the professional game and the club game?

Bill Wallace (Ballymena RFC chairman)