Daylight robbery as Trinity take title

Dublin University 23 UL/Bohemians 22

With a minute of the first half to be played, the Limerick side led 15-0 and were coasting home. Eight minutes into the second period, that advantage had been reduced to just two. Back they came again with a seven pointer until they were again in an apparently unassailable position at 22-13 entering the 79th minute. It was then that referee Olan Trevor stamped his mark on the game in a manner that will forever be remembered in the annals of both clubs. He awarded Trinity a penalty try for deliberate collapsing of a maul, a score that was duly converted by replacement out-half Pierre Lazies.

Even then, there appeared little danger to UL/Bohs that is, until they compounded their problems by missing touch with a couple of kicks and suddenly they were back deep in their own territory once again. Trinity won possession in front of the posts, scrum-half Conor McShane flashed the ball out to Lazies and even though his contact was far from the sweetest, he somehow managed to gain enough height on his drop kick to squeeze the ball over the crossbar. Cue the referee's final whistle, unrestrained delight on the part of the Trinity players and supporters and unconcealed heartbreak for everybody connected with UL/Bohs!

"I never thought for a minute of that game that we were going to win it", admitted Trinity coach Tony Smeeth. "We just didn't play well. The finish was unbelievable. Pierre hasn't played since before Christmas but he comes in and slots the goal. That game sums us up. We are not a fantastically talented side but we don't give up. We won the All-Ireland U20s last year in the same way. We just want to win, we're hungry for success and that's what it's all about. Our fitness and our professionalism with a small 'p' really showed in the end."

While Trinity celebrated as students do, UL/Bohs were left to rue their second final defeat in three years and how they had thrown away a golden opportunity to capture their first significant senior trophy since Mick English and Bill Mulcahy inspired them to victory in the Munster Senior Cup way back in 1962. Having also contrived to blow their gilt-edged chance of promotion in the league stages they weren't easily consoled. Mike Tewkesbury, who will be staying on for a fifth year at the coaching helm, was as gutted as everybody else, manfully and all as he attempted to put a positive spin on things.

"The game should have been out of sight, we had a couple of clearcut scoring opportunities in the first half when the ball carrier made the wrong decision in simple two on ones", he reasoned. "We made the cardinal sin of conceding penalties and losing the ball behind the gain line."

Tewkesbury claimed that he wasn't allowed to talk about the referee or the penalty try decision: "I'd like to. But the one thing I can't stomach over a season is the inconsistency of these fellows. I don't mind if that happens every week but it doesn't. It's just a lack of consistency in the calibre of gentlemen who do that job."

UL Bohs were clearly the superior side in the opening half when they had tries by Barry Murphy and Philip Treacy and a penalty and conversion by Cathal Garvey. Trinity had their best spell immediately before the interval and a penalty by Keelan McGowan set them up for what was to develop into a remarkable second half. Right winger Phil Howard grabbed a try which McGowan converted within a minute of the restart and McGowan promptly kicked a penalty to narrow the gap to two points. But UL/Bohs had the perfect response as Martin McPhail and Coleman Finn made the initial incisions before Breffnit O'Donnell sprinted away for a fine try between the posts.

Now nine points clear, UL Bohs demonstrated palpable naivete by failing to play for field position, a point repeatedly made by their frustrated coach. Eventually they were made to pay with the awarding of the penalty try and then the decisive drop goal by Lazies, the Frenchman whose name will forever be remembered in a club that duly marked its 150th year in the game in the most fitting manner.

DUBLIN UNIVERSITY: T. Horner; P. Howard, B. Hastings, B. Kinsella, E. McBennett; K. McGowan, C. McShane; N. Conlon, M. Crockett, F. Gainer, M. Garvey capt, M. Warburton, E. Molloy, H. Hogan, J. Heaslip. Replacements, T. Jago for Molloy 62 mins; D. Hayes for Warburton 74; P. Lazies for McGowan 76.

UL/BOHEMIAN: C. Garvey; B. O'Donnell, M. McPhail, C. Finn, B. Murphy; P. Treacy, L. O'Connell; M. Harty, G. Ryan, K. Flanagan, A. Hartigan, R. Hartigan, A. O'Gorman, J. O'Neill, P. Van Esbeck. Replacements, J. Danagher for Flanagan 47 mins; J.E. O'Connor for O'Neill 73.

Referee: O. Trevor (Munster).