Lansdowne get major title lift at Garryowen

Garryowen 0 Lansdowne 23

The clash of the Ulster Bank League’s co-leaders was a one-sided affair as Lansdowne took the fight to Garryowen from the outset even though playing into a strong wind in the opening 40 minutes.

Superbly taken tries by Ross McCarron and Rob McCarthy and two penalties and a conversion by Craig Ronaldson shattered the hosts who failed dismally to make use of the elements before the break.

They improved in the second half and managed to restrict Lansdowne to a single try by impressive number eight Ron Boucher — but without ever looking like claiming a score themselves.

“We took it to them in the pack and as a team we worked hard and deserved the win,” said a delighted Lansdowne coach Mike Ruddock.

“We did very well against the wind although our plan had been to play against it had we won the toss and try and build a lead.

“We knew we had to carry and that’s what we did. We’re a very good carrying team and that’s why we’re the top points scorers in the league. But nothing is won in January. We have a tough one away to Dolphin next week and then it’s Garryowen again after that. We’re not disappointed at not getting the bonus point. We’d have settled for this before the game.”

This was only Garryowen’s second defeat of the season and came as a chastening experience for coach Tom Tierney who had no complaints.

“It was just one of those days,” he reasoned. “You’ll have one of those days over the course of a season when everything you don’t want to happen in the first 20 minutes actually happens. We weren’t at the races as Lansdowne came out of the traps and dominated and we didn’t have any answers. It was important that we didn’t give them a bonus point in the last 10 minutes and that’s something to build on. We have to get back on the horse straightaway with Cork Con next week and Lansdowne after that. Two massive games that will tell a whole lot about us.”

LANSDOWNE: R McCarron; F Doherty, M Roche, G Stafford, R McCarthy; C Ronaldson, J Cooney; J O’Connell, T Sexton, M Moore, M Feeley, W Earl, C Ross, C Butterworth, R Boucher.

Rolling replacements: S Collins, R Liddington, D Mannion, P O’Driscoll, S Kelly.

GARRYOWEN: R O’Mahony; L Bourke, C Hircock, C Doyle, C O’Shea; G Ryan, N Cronin; R Brosnan, J Rael, J P Cooney, A Kennedy, A McCloskey, C Hartigan, A Kavanagh, T J Anderson.

Rolling replacements: D Rowley, P O’Shea, M Melbourne, M Hanrahan, J McInerney.

Referee: A Rolland (IRFU).