RICHARD McCarter stole the show at Stevenson Park yesterday as Dungannon proved too strong in this all Ulster derby.

McCarter, playing in the absence of Adam Larkin, was the architect of this victory with two first-half penalties and three more on the restart to guarantee all the points on a day that Dungannon proved the stronger and more resourceful team over the 80 minutes.

Dungannon coach Jeremy Davidson was thrilled to bits with his team's performance, commenting after the game, "The side showed tremendous commitment and came back from an indifferent start to prove themselves over the distance.

"Ballymena are a fine side and we had to be at our very best, and in the end, our greater application and hunger made all the difference."

Ballymena enjoyed the better of the early exchanges and though Dirky Strydom was guilty of an early penalty miss, they compensated minutes later with a try by their outstanding flanker Andy Graham.

Strydom missed the conversion before McCarter landed the first of his five penalties.

It was always competitive and Dungannon had flanker Oisinn Hennessy yellow-carded 15 minutes before the break, before McCarter landed penalty number two to leave his side ahead at the interval.

The game grew in intensity on the restart and Strydom's penalty for Ballymena edged them ahead 8-6, but they were unable to build on that and as the match progressed the home side exerted domination up front and that was reflected in two further penalties from McCarter to ease them ahead.

In the final quarter, Ballymena made one last defiant effort for the try they so badly needed to save the match, but it never materialised and it was appropriate that McCarter was the one to put the seal on the win in added time, as he knocked over his fifth penalty, finally closing the door on Ballymena's brave effort.

DUNGANNON B Patterson; M Scott, P Magee, G Telford, R Conway; R McCarter, D Spence; M Neilly, N Brady, D Fitzpatrick, M Rooney, R Caldwell, A Hughes, O Hennessy, S Lamb Sub T Anderson for Rooney, 60 mins BALLYMENA D Strydom; B Udina, J McGruddan, J Burgess, A Maxwell; S Young, D Drake; P Steenkamp, S Douglas, T Court, I Caldwell, B Young, A Graham, G Moore, C Henry Subs J Smith for Burgess, 54 mins; R Connor for Drake, 66 mins.

Referee M Killgore (Ulster)