Buccs beat Mary's by narrow margin

Buccaneers 20, St Mary's 18 (result)

There was always little between these two midtable sides, but it was the home side who prevailed by the narrowest of margins at Ballinasloe's Moher Road today.

In a game that went down to the wire and 11 minutes of injury time, St Mary's could have stolen the match with two late kicks from fullback Mark McHugh.

On this occasion his long range drop kick and 83rd minute penalty were wide and short, and the Dubliners had to be content with a single bonus point.

Buccaneers, leading at the break by 14 - 5, lived dangerously in the second half, trying to run the ball out of their own half and Mary¹s centre Kieran Lewis with the simplest interception raced in from 20 yards for a second gifted try.

Outhalf Barry Lynn's conversion closed the gap to 14 - 12 before the outhalf was replaced by Leinster's Nathan Spooner.

Thereafter the battle came down to territorial advantage, but neither were able to breach the stern defences. Buccaneers were able to maintain their two point lead as both Turner and McHugh traded two penalties apiece.

Buccaneers had opened the scoring on 16 minutes when wing Justin Meagher took the try with at least three outside him queuing up for the opportunity.

Yet when the same player knocked on with a clear chance of a score, Mary's Conor McPhillips was quick to the pick-up, running some 75 yards for an opportunist try. Outhalf Barry Lynn missed the difficult conversion, but with it closed the gap to 7 - 5 after 31 minutes.

However flanker Gavin Schoeman finally crashing over just minutes before the break and Turner's

conversion put Buccaneers 14 - 5 ahead.