WHAT a difference a week makes. Ballymena, after trouncing UCD 40-10 in the AIL last weekend, were knocked out of the AIB cup by the same side at Eaton Park.

Admittedly Ballymena were without a few key players especially Glenn Moore and Chris Henry in the pack but they sorely missed the kicking and experience of Dirky Strydom at full-back.

But th students were much the better team on the day.

Conditions were atrocious and UCD adapted better and took an early 10-point lead from which Ballymena never recovered. It was not a day for passing the ball and the students kept the game tight taking the lead with tries from Michael Hastings and Brian O'Neill.

Ballymena fought back and after some pressure reduced the arrears with an Andy Graham try but Hastings kicked intelligently throughout and added a penalty to his team 13-5 in front at the half way stage. The Ballymena out-half brought his team within two points of their opponents when he kicked two penalties but it was not long before the Dublin side looked more dangerous and were rewarded with a try from out-half Ian Keatley.

As the game progressed the conditions deteriorated even further and although Ballymena tried to dominate the forward battle they just did not have the determination that took them to victory last week.

They did come close to scoring on a number of occasions and following the pressure around the visitors line were eventually rewarded when Simon Shawe scored a push-over try. They continued to go for a final score and victory but the students defence held on for a deserved victory.

BALLYMENA A Maxwell, J McGrugan, J Burgess, J Smith, A Smyth, C Smith, D Drake, A Kirkpatrick, S Donaldson, T Court, I Caldwell, D Best, A Graham, A Couples, B Young UCD M Hastings, B Artimiev, K Lett, N Cairns, M Fanning, I Keatley, B O'Neill, J Lee, C Geoghegan, B McGovern, B Hall, R Mandero, K Croke, G Murphy, K Laughlin Referee D Moloney (IRFU)