Agony of defeat haunts UL Bohs

UCD 23 UL Bohemians 19

That's four games played, four games lost, four bonus points picked up, the average defeat less than five points. In this one, however, they have only themselves to blame. "Gutted" was captain Aidan O'Gorman's summary afterwards. "It's a game we targeted, one we should have won." He was right. Having trailed 17-6 at the break, a deficit that became 20-6 within five minutes of the restart when UCD outhalf Eoghan Hickey kicked a penalty from 40m into the stiff wind, the home side practically owned the ball and had come within a point of the visitors with 20 minutes remaining on the clock.

But despite dominating possession UL Bohs failed to score again.

A Hickey penalty put UCD 6-3 ahead but Bohs hit back, a well-judged grubber to the left corner by outside-centre Nick Lutman pounced on by flying wing Keith Matthews. The referee gave the try, but the home cheers were premature the touch judge begged to differ. Foot in touch.

O'Gorman however, wasn't for blaming luck, fate or referees. "We could stay giving out about the ref all day, but it was up to ourselves. We had the chances, we really worked hard but in the end, we didn't do it. That's basically it, maybe we didn't work hard enough."

UCD certainly did, in both attack and defence, and none more so than their outstanding hooker David Blaney. After Hickey and Costello again exchanged penalties, Blaney scored the first try of this game. Hickey missed the conversion, but at 14-6, the momentum was with the visitors.

After the concession of the early points, UL Bohs settled down to make full use of the wind in the second half. Costello kicked his third successful penalty before centre Lutman scored a try. Costello added the conversion and a dropped goal and, down 20-19, it was looking good for a home win. But it was UCD's Hickey who kicked a penalty. "One we deserved to win," said O'Gorman. "There's a lot of youth in the side, the experience really isn't there yet." UCD: D McKenna; A Cahill, K Kennedy,

N Kearns, B McGeever; E Hickey (6P), R Sparks (D Geraghty, inj 40); M Moynagh, David Blaney (IT), J Montgomery; C Davis, P Callanan; C Leydon (S Crawford 60), N Coughlan, Dermot Blaney.

UL BOHS: C Gilligan; B Touhy, N Lutman (1T),

C Finn, K Matthews; I Costello (3P 1C 1DG),

D Malone; M Harty, G Ryan, J Danagher; K Barry (C Fitzgerald 56), D O'Connell; J O'Neill (K Carmody temp 35/45), A O'Gorman (capt), A Hartigan.

Referee: P Eakin (UAR)