Rugby: Rigney try gives Blackrock victory

Buccaneers 19 Blackrock College 26

Blackrock College, with Brian O¹Driscoll heading a list of big name absentees, kept their faint hopes of a top four finish still alive with a hard-earned victory at Moher Road in Ballinasloe in a game where both teams under-performed.

Buccaneers led 16-10 at the break having played with the strond wind.

They were rattled by a 5th minute Geoff McEvoy Blackrock try but eventually went ahead after a 27th minute try by Colm Rigney and three Simon Allnutt penalties.

It took ŒRock most of the third quarter to reduce the deficit before No.8 John Ryan bustled over for a try and then McGowan edged them in front with another penalty.

Hooker McEvoy got his second try but Buccaneers refused to die.

However, several raids yielded just another penalty from Allnutt before Blackrock broke for McGowan to seal the issue with his third penalty.

Scorers: Buccaneers: S. Allnutt, four pens, one con. C. Rigeny, try. Blackrock College: A. McGowan, three pens, one con. G. McEvoy, two tries; J. Ryan, try.

Buccaneers: G. Austin; M. Devine, P. Whittaker, D. Yapp, O. Grennan; S. Allnutt, T. Robinson; J. Screene, J. McVeigh, M. Cahill; C. Brownlie, K. Barrett; I. Dillon, C. Rigney, E. Brennan. Subs: C. Keane for Robinson, half-time; C. Glynn for Whittaker, inj. 53 mins;

Blackrock College: T. Keating; J. Ferris, N. Turner, M. Jackson, D. Johnson; A. McGowan, D. Popplewell; A. McSweeney, G. McEvoy, N. Treston; R. Casey, R. Murphy; T. Hogan, J. Ryan, R. Rogers. Subs: I. Mclaughlin for Murphy, 51 mins; J. Fitzgerald for McSweeney, 58 mins; I. McGettigan for Hogan, 75 mins; G. Browne for Jackson, 79 mins.

Sin-bin: Hogan, 65 mins; Rogers, 80 mins.

Referee: P. Eakin (Ulster).