Garryowen grab win at Blackrock

Blackrock College 15 Garryowen 17

Conor Kilroy came back to haunt his old club Blackrock College as he kicked Garryowen to a vital win at Stradbrook this afternoon.

The defending champions kept the pressure on their rivals at the top of the Division One table with Kilroy kicking four penalties to add to flanker Anthony Kavanagh’s first half try.

Garryowen led 14-7 despite a second-minute touchdown from centre Brian Canavan.

Blackrock crossed the whitewash late on through young flanker Zack Farivarz but agonisingly Fionn Carr’s conversion attempt, which would have levelled the game, was wide of the mark.

17-11 winners over Old Belvedere last week, Blackrock were hoping to cause a pre-Christmas upset given that they had failed to beat Garryowen in their last nine league meetings.

They got off to a scorching start as the ‘Rock backs strung together a neat phase of passing and centre Canavan evaded his marker to cross near the posts. Full-back Carr converted for a sudden 7-0 lead.

Kilroy replied with a penalty but ‘Rock still led through the midpoint of the half, despite losing out-half Kyle Tonetti to a nasty-looking head wound. The former Ireland Under-20 international required stitches and Carr had to take over at number 10.

Kilroy’s second and third penalties of the afternoon sandwiched a well-worked try from Kavanagh who managed to break off a close-in ruck and make the whitewash.

Garryowen could not take that momentum into the second half however and it was ‘Rock who looked the more likely to add to their try count. The Dubliners pressed throughout the third quarter but Garryowen’s defensive qualities shone through.

Kilroy and Carr swapped penalties and just as it looked like Dara Ryan’s men would hold on for the win, young Farivarz, a product of ‘Rock’s Under-20 squad, struck for a last-gasp try out wide.

Unfortunately for the sizable home support, Carr, who was last season’s top scorer in Division One, failed to fire over the conversion for what would have been a deserved draw for his side.

Scorers: Blackrock College: Tries: Brian Canavan, Zack Farivarz; Con: Fionn Carr; Pen: Fionn Carr.

Garryowen: Try: Anthony Kavanagh; Pens: Conor Kilroy 4.