Ballynahinch let their unbeaten record in the Ulster Bank League slip with a very poor performance at home to a much more motivated and determined UCD side.
It was a contest dominated by the whistle of referee Gary Conway with the yellow card flashed on five occasions.
The Hinch never showed up in the first half and turned round at halftime 19 points adrift after poor discipline at the breakdown, which included two first half yellow cards, gifted the Dublin students both field position and points.
Ballymacarn Park was very soft in places which in theory would not have suited the fast men in the UCD backs, but they give a master class on handling skills and how to play a smart kicking game.
James Thornton opened the scoring in the fourth minute for the visitors when he converted a penalty goal after the Hinch strayed offside at a ruck.
A dropped ball in the Hinch midfield iwas hacked towards the home line with Blane McIlroy winning the race to the ball as UCD winger Sam Coghlan Murray threatened to score.
Thornton made it 0-6 in the 8th minute when Hinch failed to release the player in a tackle, then UCD cut loose for the first time in the 15th minute, passing the ball with great accuracy, centre Alex Kelly cut inside Stuart Morrow the Hinch centre failing to make the tackle.
As Kelly headed for the line he had winger Sam Coghlan Murray supporting on the inside Daly took McBurney’s tackle putting the winger clear to score an unconverted try to take UCD 11 points clear.
Hinch went off their feet again in the 18th minute and Thornton made it 0-14 with his third successful penalty goal.
James Thompson was yellow carded in the 20th minute when he deliberately knocked the ball from scrum half Jamie Glynn’s hands at a ruck but Thornton failed to convert
Hinch had their first visit into the visitors 22 in the 26th minute where UCD didn’t release in the tackle of Robert Greer. Michael Lawton missed the attempt at goal to leave the Hinch trailing 0-14
The students were quick to pin the Hinch men back in their 22 and after a series of attacks centre Stephen Murphy was held up over the line. In the 29th minute Hinch infringed at the scrum with UCD second row Brian Cawley taking a quick tap catching the Hinch half asleep he twisted and turned before off loading to fullback Andy Boyle who smashed his way over for his sides second try. Thornton failed to add the extras to leave his side with a healthy 0-19 lead.
In the 38th minute Hinch took a scrum against the head and for the first time mounted a sustained attack on the UCD line. The student’s defence was more than a match for the Hinch and in the 4oth minute a Hinch penalty under the UCD posts was reversed with James Simpson sent to the touchline for 10 minutes for punching a player on the ground.
The home side made the perfect start to the second half, in the 42nd minute James Thompson put in a lovely chip and chase, then gathered to race clear behind the posts. Adam Craig added the extras to make it 7-19.
Thornton missed a penalty shot in the 45th minute, as the game became a scrappy affair the heavy ground finally taking its toll.
In the 72nd minute UCD replacement Rory Harrison was yellow carded for a dangerous tackle but despite having an extra man advantage the Hinch failed to secure any further points.
In the final minute the fifth yellow card was issued to Hinch skipper Chris Stevenson for hands in a ruck on the Hinch line, which summed up Hinch’s day.
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