Garryowen fortunate to survive tough test

Garryowen 12 Lansdowne 8

“We just about scraped through and it was down to good defence,” said a relieved Cunningham after Lansdowne had belied their lowly Division One status to push this contest to the wire.

Second-placed Garryowen should have had it easy against struggling Lansdowne, but if anyone expected to Dubliners to roll over and die, they were in for a surprise. Cunningham admitted that the warning signs were there from the start.

“Lansdowne have a big abrasive pack and I don’t think the respective league positions meant anything. Of course, it’s hard to persuade players taking on the bottom side that it could be a hard grind. I think a few of the guys were a bit shocked to find out that it was not going to be easy.”

Garryowen did have the best of the first half and led 6-0 at the break, an advantage that might have been greater had they taken full advantage of a strong territorial base. Instead the home side had to be happy with two penalties from Gerry Hurley.

However, after dominating the early moments of the second half, Garryowen conceded a soft try to Greg Stafford after five minutes. There appeared to be little danger when Andy Tallon guided a grubber kick through and behind the defence. Two Garryowen defenders dallied and when they failed to clear to touch, Stafford picked up to score.

The visitors suddenly had something to hold on to, even though Alan Purcell slotted two subsequent penalties for the home side. Lansdowne showed increasing conviction and Garryowen had to battle through a difficult period to keep their line intact. Tallon kicked a Lansdowne penalty to narrow the gap to four points with ten minutes remaining and there was a series of anxious moments for Garryowen, even if they did mount their own series of assaults near the end.

Still, it wasn’t what Cunningham hoped. We will just have to be happy with the four points but there is a great deal of improving to do.” When the players trudged into the dressing room, you sensed the feeling of disappointment with the performance if not the result.

There were some choice words exchanged when the door was locked but the happy mood prevailed later in the knowledge that they’re still right up there at the top of Division One.

Lansdowne, after a sixth defeat from eight games, will surely know that they must soon start to pick up more than bonus points. On this display they are capable of that.

GARRYOWEN: S. Ryan, D. O’Riordan, R. Niland, K. Hartigan, A. Purcell, B. Treacy, G. Hurley, R. Callaghan, P. Humphries, R. Laffan, M. Melbourne, D. Sheehan, P. Neville, P. Maher, E. Nihill.

Replacements: M. Prendergast for Hurley (60), S. Bradshaw for Sheehan (73).

LANSDOWNE: B. O’Mahony, F. Baynes, J. Murphy, G. Stafford, J. Smith, A. Tallon, S. Whelan, J. Lyne, M. Nathan, E. Bohan, A. Maher, S. O’Connor, R. McArdle, S. Rooney, V. O’Dowd.

Replacements: K. Corrigan for Nathan (60), G. Quinn for Dowd (68), B. O’Shea for O’Mahony (78). Temporary replacement, K. Cleere for Bohan (50-53).

Referee: T. Redmond (IRFU).