BUCCANEERS came with a final quarter rally to ensure stalemate in the all-Connacht derby at Crowley Park yesterday.

Both sides went into this one on the back of impressive wins and with western bragging rights also up for grabs, it was always going to be an intense encounter.

Galwegians, seven-try winners in Blackrock the previous week, did most of the running for three-quarters of the match but they failed to close out the deal and in the end were left hanging on for a draw as Buccs suddenly went for the jugular.

Buccs had been pedestrian for most of the encounter but once their pack built up a head of steam, Galwegians struggled to contain them.

Galwegians will be kicking themselves that they did not make their dominance in the opening half count for more than their 8-6 lead.

Centre Nick Wakely got them off the mark with a 10thminute penalty, but it was his only success from four kicks in the opening period before kicking duties were handed over to Paddy O'Toole and his replacement Peter Durcan in the second half.

The Galwegians pressure finally yielded a try after 17 minutes when quick ball saw scrum-half Luke Stringer make the line.

The Galwegians threequarters had a cutting edge through Anthony Barrett and Wakely, but Buccaneers defended well before their pack started to come into the game and make the hard yards through locks David McGowan and David Kelly and number eight Adrian Hanley.

That possession yielded a brace of tries for Tom Cregan before the break to leave them just two adrift despite being on the back foot for long periods.

Galwegians got a great start to the second half when winger John Cleary, always alert, pounced on a mistake to dive over for their second try, with O'Toole adding the points to make it 15-6.

It was then that Galwegians should have pushed on and closed the deal but despite the best efforts of skipper Ambrose Conboy and locks Andrew Browne and Liam Scahill, they were unable to maintain their dominance.

Instead the class of Michael Diffley in the Buccaneers front row became more apparent, not least with ball in hand, and once they built up momentum, Buccaneers were suddenly a different team.

Centre Alex Hayman displayed wonderful hands to funnel an Aidan Wynne pass into the path of Cregan and the full-back romped home for a fine try, adding the points to leave it 15-13 after 64 minutes.

There was a reprieve for Galwegians when Durcan extended their lead three minutes later with a penalty from the 10-metre line after the referee had moved the kick forward for backchat.

The Buccaneers pack continued to dominate and they were rewarded three minutes from the end of normal time when a surge finished with lock Kelly getting the touchdown to level the match.

Cregan had a chance to win it with the touchline conversion from the left but while he struck it well, it came back off the left post.

GALWEGIANS K Hickman; J Cleary, N Wakely, A Barrett, C Mbongwa; P O'Toole, L Stringer; D O'Connell, C Muldoon, R Davies, A Browne, L Scahill, A Conboy, J Mullen, B O'Connor Subs A McGettigan for Mullen, 47 mins; P Durcan for O'Toole, 60 mins; J Naughton for O'Connell, 71 mins BUCCANEERS T Cregan; N O'Hara, A Hayman, W Wallace, S Rolleston; A Wynne, M Bruce; M Dif"ey, G Halligan, K O'Neill, D Kelly, D McGowan, C Finnerty, C Hartigan, A Hanley Referee O Trevor (IRFU)