Cullen try does the trick as Lansdowne survive late scares

A FINE try nine minutes from the end of a competitive All-Ireland U21 semi-final at Temple Hill last night was enough to see Lansdowne through to a meeting with either UCD or Clontarf later this month.

Winger Neil Cullen got the crucial score in a match that was hard fought from start to finish, Lansdowne surviving two late scares when Cork’s Darragh Dunne missed two late penalty chances from difficult angles.

Lansdowne held most of the territory and possession in the opening quarter but their best chance of scoring came when Craig Ronaldson was afforded an 18th-minute penalty. He pushed it wide and Con were glad to have survived in the face of intense pressure, one brilliant tackle on Cullen by full-back Cathal Quinn helping them to keep a clean sheet.

Dunne had the first failed scoring opportunity for Constitution against the wind, but there were further chances when Lansdowne failed to clear from the subsequent drop out.

It was Constitution’s most promising stretch of the first half but they came away with nothing from an eight-minute spell entrenched in Lansdowne territory.

A brilliant 38th-minute break from Quinn, that ended when Ronan Barry was bowled over eight metres out, represented their best scoring opportunity. As it was the side entered the break without scoring.

That changed when Lansdowne’s Ronaldson put it up to Constitution by scoring a 47th-minute penalty goal into the wind.

The drama continued, with both sides having penalty opportunities and Lansdowne a couple of try scoring chances. Instead, Constitution took the lead when Dunne kicked his second penalty with 10 left on the clock.

Instantly, however, Lansdowne struck back and scorned the option to level the game, instead opting to take a quick penalty from which Cullen was sent in at the corner for an 8-6 lead.

Despite those last-gasp penalty attempts from Dunne, who could hardly be faulted for missing them in the blustery conditions, Lansdowne held on.

CORK CONSTITUTION: C Quinn, E O’Donnell, T Harrington, S Barry, P O’Connell, D Dunne, D O’Driscoll, C Corkery (capt), B Vaughan B Cagney, P Dooly, D O’Mahony, S Hanbridge, C O’Flaherty, R Barry.

Replacements: J Flannery for Corkery (57), A Kelleher for O’Driscoll (80)

LANSDOWNE: C Toolan, D Layden, J McMahon, H Kennedy, N Cullen, C Ronaldson, P O’Driscoll, S Calbeck (capt), P. Reilly, J Curran, T Beirne, R Farrell, C Butterworth, B Moylett, A Hoban.

Replacements: B Geraghty for Toolan (46), D Heffernan for Butterworth (55).

Referee: L Colgan (IRFU).