Dunne drops Leinster hint with dramatic delivery

IT was a scenario to turn some into a quivering wreck, and make a hero of others.

With the game deep in injury-time and Leinster holding a painfully thin two-point lead, Andy Dunne trotted on to the pitch at the Stade Armandie only to be informed that his first input would be to attempt a game-breaking drop kick. He had been on the pitch ten seconds but he nailed it.

“There was a bit of hassle on the sideline about getting on so I tried to ignore that and focus on the job in hand,” said Dunne who also converted Ronan McCormack’s latch-ditch try minutes later. “The call had already been made (for the drop) when I came on. It looked on, so I just had a shot and it came off. It was a nice feeling, for sure.”

To see Dunne divide the uprights in the most testing circumstances was to marvel at the man’s composure. But it also begged the question: What had happened his career this past few years?

When he broke into the first team five seasons ago, he did so to widespread acclaim; a glittering career in blue, and maybe even green, seemed to beckon.

Instead, injuries haunted the former UCD scholarship student and he upped sticks to London where he kicked 208 points in two seasons with Harlequins. The three he earned for the penalty that saw off Montferrand in a Parker Pen Challenge Cup final were undoubtedly the pick of them.

After Quins’ relegation, he moved to Bath where he vied for playing time with Olly Barkley, Chris Malone and Ryan David. After only four starts and two appearances as a replacement, he called time midway through his two-year contract to return home.

He has made the most of it, helping Old Belvedere to the Leddin Finance Senior Cup title earlier this season. He was even playing for ‘Belvo’ last weekend when Leinster and Agen had their first tete-a-tete at Lansdowne Road. Frustrating?

“It’s always frustrating in any game not to be involved but Felipe is there as first choice and my aim is to try and pressurise Christian and get in the squad. I’m just working hard every week. The coaches didn’t know me before the start of the season so I’m not doing too bad.”

It’s about time fate smiled on him. When Contepomi came a cropper playing for Argentina in Paris last month, no-one was entirely sure whether it would be Dunne or Warner who would deputise.

Dunne’s kicking game was his trump card but he was unfortunate that his big chance to shine came on a miserably grey day in Ravenhill some weeks back when a missed kick went a large way to denying Leinster a gritty win.

An engaging, likeable character, Dunne’s wide smile narrows slightly at the thought of that particular day.

“Personally I was disappointed after Ravenhill. The conditions were difficult for every player on the field and I did miss a kick in that game. Players get criticised for lots of things and sometimes you kick a drop goal after the other lads work hard for 79 minutes and you get the credit. That’s the way it goes.”

Few know it better than him.