Project will show club in whole new light, says chairman

The last couple of weeks we had the completion of all the preliminaries – the finance, courtesy of Ballymena Borough Council’s Enabling Scheme, is in place and the main contractors were appointed.

We are all now looking forward to seeing the lights in operation, and the target date for that is the end of November, provided there are no unforeseen hold ups, such as the kind of weather that we experienced in that month a couple of years ago.

When we first announced the scheme back in May, there was some concern that the position of two of the pylons on the cricket outfield would seriously affect the playing of cricket, but the issues surrounding that have been dealt with to the satisfaction of all concerned, and the scheme incorporates two demountable pylons, the bases of which will be invisible when cricket resumes next summer. Obviously, we will have to organise a “switching on” ceremony, and we are currently looking at what form that might take.

I have commented often enough on the hard work that players and coaches have put in, but it is a great feeling to see them enjoy the fruits of their labours with a winning start in the Ulster Bank All Ireland League.

At this time of the season it is very much a ‘start-stop’ affair, with games coming in small bursts, followed by breaks while representative games are played.

The next two league AIL game for us begin in three weeks’ time, followed by another break while the Autumn Internationals are played. That kind of league programme means that it is hard to build up any kind of momentum, but on the other hand it does allow players to recover from any knocks picked up in these very competitive games.

Our first little burst of games has given us a “perfect ten”, with two bonus point wins against a powerful Galwegians side and a typically physical Munster side, Highfield.

I travelled with the team to Cork at the weekend for this potentially tricky encounter against Highfield, and, although we won by 40 points to 8, the boys from Ballymena had to call on all their reserves of fitness and resolve to weather a Highfield second half storm. They showed not only great character but also a level of skill that their opponents simply couldn’t match.

We have a small band of travelling support which goes with the team, even to far flung outposts such as Cork, and all of us were mightily relieved when Highfield made a silly mistake, conceded a try and changed the course of the game in our favour.

Last weekend we fielded four teams, getting three wins and a narrow defeat, so our rugby is in good fettle at the moment. The seconds had a comprehensive win over a strong Malone side, which is a great position to be in, as we will need strength in depth as this long season unfolds.

Bill Wallace (Ballymena RFC chairman)