Columnist fumbles the ball in final moments

YOUR rugby columnist Donal Lenihan suggested (May 8) that Declan Kidney’s quick throw-in during the Presentation College (Pres) v CBC (Christians) Senior Cup final in 1977 happened shortly before the end of the match and was the reason for Pres’s defeat.

As members of that team, and in defence of our team-mate, we feel obliged to put the record straight. In fact, Pres recovered from this mishap via a try, following a kick-ahead (much in the style of Ronan O’Gara) by the same Declan Kidney, and were leading the match with a minute to go.

Christians were awarded a last-minute penalty for a (disputed) late tackle and this won the match for them.

Perhaps Donal Lenihan’s memory is fogged by the torrid time he experienced in the line-out in that match!

Stephen O’Brien

Colm O’Connor

Tom Owens

Jack Power

Cork