Bohs put ghosts to rest with 18-12 win

St Mary's College 12 UL Bohemians 18

Right wing Ian Hanley pocketed a try in either half as UL Bohemians finally put the ghost of the AIB League Division Two final to rest with an 18-12 victory over a try-less St Mary's.

The Limerick students' two previous play-off visits to Lansdowne Road ended in defeat, most dishearteningly in last year's decider when Trinity substitute Pierre Lazies dropped a last-gasp goal for a 23-22 win.

But already promoted this season, Bohs displayed a stronger backbone this afternoon as Hanley's brace and eight points from fly-half Ben Martin finally saw Mike Tewkesbury’s men gain some league silverware.

Although Mary's secured the better possession, Bohs stole in for a 10-3 half-time lead. Midway through the half, Australian Martin easily brushed by the challenges of Mary’s props Cillian O'Byrne and Peter Coyle in a mismatch 40 metres out, to race to the right corner and open the scoring.

Martin, although named as man-of-the-match, had a poor afternoon from place kicks, missing the conversion and a further five shots at the Mary's posts.

Mary's league top scorer Barry Lynn reduced the deficit with a 32nd-minute penalty. The kickers both fired against the uprights with late penalties before Hanley evaded Mary's number 8 Adrian Copeland to touch down for an unconverted effort on the right touchline.

Former Ireland Under-21 Lynn curled a penalty shot just inside the right post on the restart, and bagged his third success on 51 minutes to make it a 10-9 game.

Two minutes later, Martin wobbled a drop goal shot over. Both Lynn and Martin missed further penalty attempts before Hanley broke through for Bohs' third try after a bout of concerted pressure.

Despite Lynn chipping over his fourth penalty from five attempts late on, Hanley's score was to prove the match-winner as he beat Mary's substitute Conor McPhillips for pace on the left.

St Mary's: D Hughes; P Brophy, J McWeeney, C Fifield, B Lynn (Capt); J Sexton, J Kilbride; C O'Byrne, P Smyth, P Coyle, G Logan, J Ellis, P Nash, G Hickie, A Copeland.

UL Bohemians: C Garvey; I Hanley, C Finn, M McPhail, K Matthews; B Martin, A Rees; M Harty, G Ryan, M Storey, B Madigan, A Hartigan, A O'Gorman (Capt), P Van Esbeck, J O'Neill.

Scorers:

St Mary's: Pens: Barry Lynn 4

UL Bohs: Tries: Ben Martin, Ian Hanley 2; Drop: Martin

HT: St Mary’s 3 UL Bohs 10

Referee: Simon McDowell (Ulster)