AIB League: Cork Con are through to AIB league final

Cork Constitution 43, Garryowen 17

Cork Con are through to the final of the AIB All-Ireland league after a 26 point drubbing of Garryowen at Temple hill. The 1999 champions got off to a blistering start and pressurised the Garryowen defence from the off.

Cork Con now face the winners of Shannon and Clontarf in the final on May 4th, at headquarters.

There were only seven minutes on the clock when centre Conor Mahoney went over for the first try of the game but Ronan O'Gara playing in only his fifth game of the season missed the conversion.

He made amends later in the half by sending over a penalty to give Con an 8-0 lead. Garyowen came back with a well worked move for John O'Sullivan to go over but Jeremy Staunton missed the conversion, having already missed two penalties.

Captain Ultan O'Callaghan got an injury-time try to give the Cork side a 15-5 half time lead.

Garyowen had Paul Neville, sin-binned at the start of the second half as matters went from bad to worse for the limerick five.

They defended well and it was only when Neville returned to play that Con went over for their third. Cian Mahoney, brother of Conor, went over and O'Gara duly converted.

Con were now dominating in the scrum and when Irish International John Kelly intercepted a pass from Garyowen out-half Billy Treacy, he ran 30 metres to reach the line.

Derek Dillon added another and with three second half O'Gara penalties Cork Con were leading 43-5.

Garyowen fought back and consolation tries by international David Wallace and Munster full-back Dominic Crotty made the final scoreline more respectable at 43-17.

Cork Con now face the winners of Shannon and Clontarf in the final on May 4, at headquarters.