Gavin off to flyer

Garryowen 19 Dolphin 3

The Light Blues’ win owed much to the reliable kicking of out-half Jamie Gavin, who had his side ahead as early as the second minute from a routine penalty.

By half-time he had added two further three-pointers, with Dolphin’s only response coming from an Eamon Mills penalty after the hosts had been pinged for side entry.

Despite having two men in the sin bin for infringing at successive line-outs, it was Garryowen who were first to cross the whitewash as the game sparked into life just after the hour mark.

Gavin fielded a clearance inside Dolphin territory and fed winger Cian O’Shea, who took play up to the Dolphin line. From there the ball was popped to flanker Barry O’Mahony to dive over to the right of the posts.

Gavin converted the kick and added a further penalty just before full time to round off a well-deserved win.

Scorers for Garryowen: Try: B O’Mahony. Con: J Gavin 1. Pens: J Gavin 4.

Scorers for Dolphin: Pen: E Mills 1.

GARRYOWEN: R O’Mahony; C O’Shea, C Hircock, C Doyle, J McInerney, J Gavin, N Cronin, R Brosnan, J Rael, JP Cooney, D Sherry (capt), A McCloskey, S Buckley, B O’Mahony, TJ Anderson.

Replacements: C Walsh, D O’Shea, A Kennedy, A Kavanagh, J Ryan.

DOLPHIN: N Whalley; D Barnes, H Fleming, C Bohane, R Scannell, E Mills, C Bannon, J Cronin, N Scannell (capt), C Condon, C Rowe, D O’Mahony, M Cronin, S Dougall, B O’Callaghan.

Replacements: W Foley, J Leahy, D O’Shea, E O’Shaughnessy, J Kiernan.

Referee: E O’Dowd (IRFU).