Try hat-trick for Coughlan

Dolphin 30 Terenure College 6

Munster back rower James Coughlan notched a hat-trick of tries as Dolphin came from behind to comprehensively beat Terenure College at Musgrave Park today.

'Nure led 6-0 at the break, thanks to a penalty and a fine drop goal from David McAllister.

McAllister had missed three earlier place-kicks however, and after Barry Keeshan drew the sides level with two penalties, Dolphin took over.

The Corkmen gleefully nabbed the bonus point thanks to Coughlan's efforts and winger Rory Kenneally also rounded off a fine team try.

Terenure never really used the wind to their full advantage during a disappointing first half which failed to spark.

The visitors’ pack foraged well and had the better of the ball, which McAllister kicked with aplomb but his place-kicking let the former Leinster out-half down.

Had the Dubliners turned around with a 15-0 interval lead, a totally different second half may have been in store but Dolphin, to their credit, seized control.

The weather conditions dictated what sort of game this would be and with the Dolphin defence holding out in the first 40 minutes, ‘Nure’s try-scoring chances were severely limited - especially while their tighthead prop and captain Stephen was in the sin-bin.

After a scoreless opening quarter, McAllister made up somewhat for his earlier misses by planting a 30-metre penalty through the uprights and he also landed a peach of a drop goal from all of halfway.

Dolphin did succeed in turning things around, however. It took them just eight second half minutes to get level as Keeshan landed a brace of penalties after 43 and 48 minutes.

Recovering from their 25-9 defeat at Blackrock last week, Dolphin pulled clear thanks to a fantastic final quarter.

Coughlan got on the end of a forward drive for his first try, and the score of the game soon followed when, given the slippery ball, the home backs did well to put together a move which ended with Kenneally crossing in the corner.

Two more touchdowns followed for an on-fire Coughlan, with Keeshan adding two conversions, to give the final score-line a flattering look but David O’Mahony’s side did enough to warrant the win which sees them move back up to seventh in the standings.

Scorers:

Dolphin: Tries: James Coughlan 3, Rory Kenneally; Cons: Barry Keeshan 2; Pens: Barry Keeshan 2

Terenure College: Pen: David McAllister; Drop: David McAllister