UCC hang tough and regain pride
It was sweet revenge for the students, who suffered the embarrassment of a whopping 61-13 defeat against the same opposition in early October on Lansdowne’s new artificial pitch at the Aviva Stadium, and a win made all the better by the fact that this was also a designated ‘colours’ match.
A merited win indeed for UCC, but Lansdowne contributed much to their own demise. Far more experienced than the students, a mix of former contracted players and Leinster Academy up-and-comers in their ranks, they dominated possession, spent many minutes camped inside the UCC 22, but time and again they came up short, coughing up turnover after turnover.
Three-all after five minutes following an exchange of penalties between Andrew Burke (UCC, and three from three on the day) and former Leinster out-half Eoghan Hickey, and three-all it remained until Hickey kicked his second penalty just before the break - Lansdowne having been denied a half dozen occasions in the meantime.
Six minutes after the restart the visitors did, finally, make a breakthrough, lively full-back Dave Hewitt touching down in the left corner after a pass from Kieran Lewis (former pro with both Munster and Leinster), following good work by the Lansdowne forwards.
Hickey missed the conversion, but at 11-3 and up against a stronger and more experienced pack, it didn’t look good for UCC.
Over the next ten minutes they continued to ship heavy pressure, but ship it they did; then, for a brief period midway through the half, the students finally managed to get their hands on the ball, and did they make it tell.
Very prominent were John Ryan, powerful and mobile (called up to Munster ranks next week for a trial), and another Ryan, James, captain and number eight and out of the same Rockwell/Cashel stable as Denis Leamy and Paddy Butler, along with locks Michael Kennefick and Phillie Donnellan and scrum-half Brian Slater.
In the 59th minute came a pushover try in the right corner, John Ryan emerging with the ball before Andrew Burke converted superbly. Four minutes later, a long-range penalty by the same man put UCC in the lead, 13-11, and in the 71st minute out-half Johnny Holland put them five clear with a low-flying, but effective drop goal.
The final minutes saw Lansdowne again laying siege to the UCC line, but all was in vain as they were denied by poor handling and superb tackling.
Great win for UCC, but what of Lansdowne? One of the oldest clubs in rugby, anywhere, one of the richest clubs in Ireland, where does this leave them? The AIL comes of age this year, its 21st season, and honours-laden Lansdowne — top Leinster Cup winners — have yet to put their names on the trophy. What gives?
“Good question, if only I knew the answer!” Lansdowne Director of Rugby Stephen Rooney says.
“It’s just one of those things - we’re working very hard to try and make it happen.
“We’ve come very close on a couple of occasions, runners-up twice, always been knocking around. The last three or four years, when we didn’t even have a clubhouse and had to scratch around for facilities, didn’t help (Lansdowne play out of the Aviva Stadium); it takes from the club ethos, the club spirit, and guys were changing in car parks and so on.
“We’re now back in our clubhouse again, which is a good boost, and have the back pitch in Lansdowne which is a great facility for us.”
Several of the Lansdowne players did impress - scrum-half John Cooney, full-back Hewitt and lock Eoin Sherriff, but this day belonged to UCC, and to coach Conor Twomey.
“I hope I'm not insulting anyone in saying this, but that’s probably the best win I've ever had with College,” he said. “They beat us by 50 points up there, they have a rubber pitch - a fake pitch - and for our fellas to come back and beat them here, it was a huge turnaround and a great way for them to win their colours – I’m proud of them.
“John Ryan is a fantastic player. He’s doing us a favour in playing at tight-head but he definitely has a great future as a prop.
“Munster have been keeping an eye on him, but there’s a few more they could be looking at too – Brian Slater, Phillip Donnellan, James Ryan, many more. And there weren’t as many as you'd expect from Christians and Pres, four of each I think, but we had fellas from Tipperary, De La Salle Waterford, north Tipp – those fellas can play.”
Scorers for UCC: John Ryan try; A Burke 2 pens, 1 con; J Holland 1 drop goal.
Scorers for Lansdowne: D Hewitt 1 try; E Hickey 2 pens.
UCC: W Walsh; C Crowley, A Burke, B Derham, A O’Leary; Johnny Holland, B Slater; G Duffy, K O’Byrne, John Ryan; M Kennefick, P Donnellan; B Quill, James Ryan, J McCarthy.
Replacements: A Cudmore for O’Byrne (54).
LANSDOWNE: D Hewitt; S Gahan, K Lewis, E Sheridan, M Healy; E Hickey, J Cooney; J Lyne (c), T Sexton, J O’Connell; N Keogh, E Sherriff; W Earl, R Boucher, T Conneely.
Replacements: S Morrisson for Sheridan (67); B McKeever for Keogh (70); C Murphy for Lyne (79); C O’Boyle for Morrison (inj. 79).
Referee: R Kerr (UAR).
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