McAllister kicks sink Dolphin

Dolphin 24 Terenure 29

The knock out blows did not come in the forward contest, but from the boot of David McAllister, who put Dolphin to the sword with crucial 72nd and 75th minute penalties.

It helped that he got a lot of help from hooker James Blaney, who scored his 10th try of the season. All that from a guy supposed to have retired from top-class rugby.

Dolphin probably got more than they deserved through a late converted try but, then again, the bonus point reflects well on the efforts made throughout this match by captain James Coughlan and prop John O’Sullivan, easily the best of a combative but outplayed pack. Where Dolphin fell down was through a lack of direction behind the scrum, good players playing poorly and without any purpose. Terenure, on the other hand, used the pack, the spaces, and were cleverer in their approach.

The Blaney brothers, James and captain Dermot, were big players. Alan Moss was hugely influential and McAllister put Dolphin in their place once the hard grind had been done - all that despite that brilliant individual display from Coughlan.

The Dolphin captain scored the opening try of the game after 15 minutes, 10 minutes after McAllister kicked Terenure into the lead. The visiting out-half responded with a second penalty and then converted a try from Alex Dunlop, before Barry Keeshan kicked two penalties for Dolphin to narrow the gap to a couple of points.

If Dolphin felt good then, they were on the back foot when James Blaney grabbed a try and McAllister converted to establish a 20-11 lead at the break. Terenure never looked back from there because Dolphin lost the plot. Keeshan kicked a 50th minute penalty but his side tried too much from difficult positions; they never allowed themselves a real shot at the match. McAllister made it 23-14; Keeshan pulled back the lead but Terenure once again responded with a brace of penalties from McAllister.

When Kieran Murray ploughed over for an 88th minute injury-time try, converted by Keeshan, it was some consolation, but too late to save the game. The events of the weekend cost Dolphin second place but they do have the consolation of knowing they have a match in hand over their main rivals. It might not be too late to salvage something from the season.

DOLPHIN: D. O’Mahony, S. O’Halloran, C. Healy, A.O’Shea, E. Mills, B. Keeshan, J. Purcell, F. Gateley, K. Murray, J. O’Sullivan, R. McGrath, D. Harty, D. O’Riordan, J. Coughlan (captain), D. Murphy.

Replacements: G. Finn for O’Riordan (42), K. Coughlan for Harty, R. McKinney for O’Sullivan (both 60)

TERENURE: J. Coffey, B. Flanagan, J. Bollard, S. Cullen, D. Cazabon, D. McAllister, M. Mahony, J. Barretto, J. Blaney, S. Nolan, D. Quinn, A. Moss, D. Blaney (captain), A. Dunlop, C. Connolly.

Replacements: C. Gildea for Cullen (20, injured), B. Moroney for Quinn (64).

Referee: D. Maloney (Munster Association).