Lively Garryowen crush Con
Whereas Garryowen stepped up a couple of gears Cork Con never seemed to get going. The trend emerged from the opening moments when Garryowen swarmed all over the Con 22 and went in front within three minutes when Peter Malone made the hard yards and Paul Neville brushed aside a tackle to dive over for a try that Billy Treacy converted.
Garryowen’s self belief was further enforced when Treacy and Alan
Purcell kicked over a couple of close range penalties to push their side 13 points in front within 25 minutes. Pat McCarthy kicked a penalty after 30 minutes and just before the interval Frank Cogan featured prominently in a fine attack that ended with Donnacha O’Callaghan reaching out for a try that McCarthy converted. Garryowen turned to play with the meaningful wind and immediately took control as a series of attacks deep in the Con 22 and Simon Kerr rumbled over near the posts. Purcell added the conversion.
A McCarthy penalty was never
going to be enough to turn the tie back in favour of the Tigers. Ironically, it was Donal Sheehan, a former
Constitution player, who emerged the man of the match as he commanded the lineouts and was a towering figure in the many rolling mauls his side used to ever increasing effect.
Scrumhalf Alan O’Sullivan had also seen service in the Con jersey and his intelligent use of the fluent service he received from a well drilled pack also ensured Garryowen remained in the ascendancy.
Treacy jinked over for his side’s third try on the hour and Purcell’s conversion stretched the Garryowen
advantage to 14 points. Instead, it was Garryowen who struck for the bonus point. A Con
attack died in the left corner of the Garryowen 22 from where a superbly constructed counter attack ended with Dermot McInerney touching down between the posts at the other end to earn Garryowen a bonus point.
Purcell’s conversion completed a highly satisfactory day for their coach.
“We have been building up to this,” said John Warr.
“A lot of the hard work we’ve been putting in came good today.” GARRYOWEN: D O’Riordan; M Roberts, R Niland, D McInerney, A Purcell; W Treacy, A O’Sullivan; J Staunton, C Varley, S Kerr, D Fitzgibbon, D Sheehan, P Neville, C Hartigan, P Malone.
Replacements: R Laffan for Staunton 45;
P Humphreys for Hartigan 54; D Connolly for Roberts 60; P Griffin for Fitzgibbon 70.
CORK CONSTITUTION: D Dillon; R Kenneally, JV Igarza, R O’Donovan, M Price; D O’Brien,
P McCarthy; G Murray, J Fogarty, M Ross,
D O’Callaghan, S O’Connor, J Sheahan, J Murray, F Cogan. Replacements: M O’Driscoll for O’Callaghan half time; D Fogarty for J Murray 60; J O’Driscoll for Ross 70.
Referee: C Beverland (Ulster).
