DUNGANNON heaped further misery on Belfast Harlequins with this emphatic victory at Deramore Park.

The home side began the day anchored to the bottom of Division One with only two points to their credit and were determined to rectify their poor form.

In fairness, they battled bravely for long periods and were only 6-3 drift at half time, Niall O'Connor scored a penalty for the home side while Richard McCarter replied with two similar scores for the visitors.

But the game was effectively decided early in the second half when Dungannon's gained the initiative and relied on their powerful pack who eventually took full control of proceedings.

Six minutes into the second half, towering second row Ryan Caldwell got through for a fine try after a rolling maul.

Niall O'Connor then reduced the deficit with a second penalty but was off target midway through the half with a similar effort.

It proved to be a wasted opportunity as the visitors upped the tempo and their superior team play finally killed off any hopes Harlequins had of salvaging the points.

Ten minutes from time, Harlequins tried to break their way out of defence only for Dungannon outhalf Richard McCarter to intercept on the half wayline and he cantered away to score under the posts.

Harlequins were now fighting a lost cause, but they never gave up with scrumhalf Paul Marshall always a threat to the home defence.

But too often he suffered from a lack of support and in the end that proved their undoing. Harlequins now face a difficult struggle to save their Division One status but Dungannon can look ahead to a place in the top four, providing they continue in the vein of their second half performance.

Five minutes from the end, replacement flanker Oisin Hennessy broke down the blind side for a fine individual try condemning Harlequins to another depressing Saturday afternoon.

BELFAST HARLEQUINS M Tettyle; J Lowe, D Cave, J McClaughlin, G McLoughlin; N O'Connor, P Marshall; N Conlon, S Philpott, J Andress, G Rourke, L Stevenson, A Gillespie, C Atkinson, A Ward DUNGANNON J McGuckin; M Scott, P McGee, N Patterson, M Pehi; R McCarter, D Spence; M Neilly, N Brady, D Fitzpatrick, R Caldwell, M Rainey, T Anderson, A Hughes, S Lambe. Subs O Hennessy for M Rainey, 50 mins Referee D Wilkinson (Ulster)