Con stage comeback to beat Blackrock

Cork Con 28 Blackrock 25

Leaders Cork Con remained top of the AIB League Division One table following a dramatic comeback against Blackrock at Temple Hill, with substitute Andrew Burke the hero, touching down in the fifth minute of injury time for a bonus point 28-25 over the Dubliners.

Constitution sit pretty on 29 points at the top of the AIB League Division One, six ahead of second placed Shannon who entertain Shannon tomorrow, following this four-try success, their sixth win of seven games before Christmas.

Coach David Corkery and the whole set-up couldn't hide their joy at the final whistle, having been 15-7 down at half-time and 22-7 in arrears towards the hour mark.

Blackrock's masterful out-half Conor Kilroy kicked the visitors into a 3-0 lead with a 40-metre penalty after five minutes. 'Rock, who haven't won at Templeville since 1995 were competing well and maybe too well as they had porp Malcolm Cuffe sin-binned along with Con captain Jerry Murray midway through the first half for an off-the-ball clash.

Former skipper Ultan O'Callaghan set winger Conrad O'Sullivan on the way to a 23rd minute try, converted by scrum-half Pat McCarthy, to put Con into a 7-3 lead. But four further penalties from Kilroy's boot, including two from his own half in the final minutes, handed 'Rock a 15-7 interval lead.

Eight minute after the restart, full back Andy O'Neill, starting back following a period on the sideline with injury last season, carved open the Con defence and touched down for his first of the campaign, converted by Kilroy for a 22-7 advantage.

Con soon hit back however with Kiwi out-half Steven McColl getting in for a try ten minutes later. McCarthy converted and added the xtras to centre Jean-Vincent Igarza's try on 71 minutes. With only seconds left and the scores at 25-21, Burke amazingly slide over following a release by McColl to stun Blackrock and see Con top of the pile for the Christmas period.

Scorers: Cork Con: Tries: C O’Sullivan, S McColl, JV Igarza, A Burke; Cons: P McCarthy 4

Blackrock: Try: A O’Neill; Con: P Kilroy; Pen: C Kilroy 6