Lansdowne cruise past Greystones

Greystones 10 Lansdowne 35

Greystones are still waiting for their first win since regaining their Division One status following this comfortable victory for Lansdowne at Dr. Hickey Park.

Luke Cozens’ control at out-half and Devin Toner’s lineout brilliance steered Lansdowne to their first ever league win over ‘Stones.

The visitors were 20-3 in front at the break with winger Robbie Dolan and hooker Gavin O’Meara touching down.

Cozens and full-back Stuart McCarron followed suit in a second half that saw wide man Simon Malone grab ‘Stones’ only try.

One has to feel sorry for the Wicklow men who has shown plenty of fight and spirit over the league’s opening three weekends but the result just have not gone their way and they sit bottom of the pile in Division One.

Minus the likes of Cian McNaughton, Alex O’Sullivan and regular try scorer David McKechnie, ‘Stones struggled in the opening half in front of a vocal 600-strong crowd.

Lansdowne have the makings of a good squad this season and are deservedly riding high in fifth place at the moment, after this win. They laid the platform for it with two tries around the half hour mark.

Cozens, who regained the number 10 jersey from Donal Crotty who started last weekend’s 18-6 loss at UL Bohemians, kicked a brace of early penalties for a 6-0 lead.

Full-back Reinhard Gerber, ‘Stones most recent in a long line of South African signings, pinged over a penalty in reply but Dolan made use of numbers out wide to score and a simple yet very effective lineout maul put O’Meara over for his try.

A penalty from the confident Cozens, two minutes into the second half, stretched Lansdowne into a 23-3 lead and ‘Stones looked out of it.

That proved to be the case when McCarron, the former UCD player, notched Lansdowne’s bonus point try. The best moment of the match came when Malone finished out a quick passing move and Gerber converted brilliantly from the touchline.

Scorers: Greystones: Try: Simon Malone; Con: Reinhard Gerber; Pen: Reinhard Gerber

Lansdowne: Tries: Robbie Dolan, Gavin O’Meara, Luke Cozens, Stuart McCarron; Cons: Luke Cozens 3; Pens: Luke Cozens 3