McCarthy’s boot rescues Cork Con from jaws of defeat

Cork Constitution 27 UCD 27

With 30 minutes gone, Cork Constitution were staring down the barrel of a gun, 3-24 down and heading for their first defeat.

That they rescued the game from a seemingly hopeless situation was a remarkable tribute to their tenacity but also to the goal kicking from the number nine.

McCarthy put them back in the hunt with a succession of penalties and his conversion of a second-half try was crucial as the home side finally drew level. Dave O'Brien did send a drop goal attempt whizzing narrowly wide in the dying seconds, but it would have been an injustice if UCD lost at the death.

McCarthy put Con ahead after three minutes but UCD had them reeling when Gareth Hayes grabbed a fifth minute try that Alan Henry converted.

Henry added an eighth-minute penalty and then Neil Coughlan scored a second try for the visitors, with Henry also converting.

In the 25th minute, Niall McNamara went over and Henry also added the points.

At 24-3 to the students, it was all an uphill struggle for Constitution.

McCarthy did knock over penalties in quick succession before the half time whistle and another early in the second half.

O'Brien's 48th minute try had Constitution firmly back in the hunt before Henry kicked a penalty for UCD to stretch the lead out to 27-17.

But McCarthy was quick to respond and he then added the extra points to a fine try from Cronan Healy.

UCD defended well and they had to in the closing stages and O'Brien's drop goal attempt was just about the best that Constitution could muster.

Constitution's response leaves them in third place overall, but Ballymena and Shannon remain as the pace-setters.

Ballymena, thanks to tries by Andy Maxwell and Hugh Jones and two penalties and a conversion from Ian Humphreys, kept themselves in pole position with a hard-earned victory over Garryowen at Eaton Park.

Garryowen were unlucky to lose this close encounter and they had strong claims for a penalty try midway through the second half as they threw down the gauntlet to the home side.

Shannon also had to fight off the opposition to retain their spot in second place. This time it was another tight encounter against Belfast Harlequins at Thomond Park.

All the damage was done in the closing minutes when Tom Cregan knocked over a penalty and Eoin Cahill scored a crucial try.

In the end, it all came down to experience and Shannon's late scoring burst saw them through.

Last year's league runners-up Clontarf were in no mood to be trifled with at Castle Avenue and were well worthy of their 30-19 win over Dolphin.

Clontarf led 20-8 at the interval but lacked the ruthless streak after the break and were unable to finish the game with a bonus point.

Dolphin full back Andrew Finn did grab two tries and John O'Mahony kicked three penalties but that was never enough against a home side that comfortably finished out the match with an 11 point advantage.

In just their second game, Lansdowne picked off Dungannon in yet another closely fought encounter at Lansdowne Road. Dungannon, despite scoring five penalties from James McGuckian, were quite simply not good enough and Liam Toland led the Lansdowne charge with two tries.

St Mary's College have had their own share of problems and lost for the second week in succession at home to Blackrock College. Rock's Conor Kilroy scored a personal tally of 18 points to giver his side a much needed win.