O’Leary rescues floundering Dolphin with two-try revival

Young Munster 15 Dolphin 22

Dolphin were destined for defeat at 15 points down when O’Leary struck for the first of two tries minutes before half time.

He scored a second after that and put his new club into the driving seat.

Seven minutes from the break, a Dolphin win looked to be an impossible dream. Young Munster ruled the roost and in Mark Connolly had a potent attacking force.

Connolly, the victim of a late tackle by Barry Sheehan which might have deserved more than a yellow card for the Dolphin winger, recovered to make the opening try of the game.

It was a beauty, created brilliantly and executed to perfection by winger Derek Corcoran. Connolly converted and was also involved in the initial movement that led to a second try from Thomas Cronin.

But after Connolly kicked a penalty for a 15 point lead, Young Munster went off the boil and Dolphin coach David O’Mahony later paid tribute to his charges for their response.

“Sure, we had a bit of wind advantage in the second half but it all came down to key people controlling the game. It was great to see James Coughlan, Tomás (O’Leary) and John O’Mahony put us in good positions. That was all-important.

“Tomás has played just three games for us but he gets better with each outing. He could play a huge part in our season.

“We have a few injury problems at the moment and our squad is quite small but it was great to start the season with a win, particularly against Young Munster at Clifford Park.

“Not too many teams win on this ground and we are absolutely delighted with the result, particularly because we gave them a 15 point start.

“I think at the end of the day we deserved the win and maybe deserved to win by more.”

After struggling for much of the first half, O’Leary put Dolphin back in the hunt when he surged forward from a Coughlan pass and his strength carried him to the line. O’Mahony converted. The out-half kicked an early second-half penalty and then O’Leary drove forward again to get his second try and O’Mahony added the points.

Dolphin piled on the pressure but never got quite out of sight until the last minute when Sheehan was sent in for a try in the corner without a hand being laid on him. It was enough for Dolphin and Young Munster’s scant consolation at losing a match that once looked a sure bet was that they picked up a bonus point.

YOUNG MUNSTER: M Connolly, C Hamilton, C Casey, S Howe, D Corcoran, E Buckley, T Cronin, D McNamara, B Cantrell, H McGrath, M O’Sullivan, D Payne, J Galvin, A Herlihy, K Horan (captain). Replacement: D Tobin for Cronin (61).

DOLPHIN: J Purcell, B Sheehan, J Murrell, M Manning, S Halloran, J O’Mahony, T O’Leary, C Bradley, D O’Farrell, J O’Sullivan, J Fitzgerald, D Pomeroy, G Finn, J Coughlan, D Murphy.

Referee: J Sheehan.