Mary's climb to second

Blackrock College 9 St. Mary’s College 26

AIB League Division 1A

St. Mary's College seem to be coming back into form at just the right time, with this afternoon's 26-9 victory over Blackrock College moving the Templeville Road residents up to second in AIB League Division 1A.

St. Mary's dominance in the scrum, where the formidable trio of Jack McGrath, Richie Sweeney and Rob Sweeney excelled, helped them complete a league double over a Blackrock side that was missing the spark of young guns Andrew Conway and Brendan Macken.

Indeed, there were uncontested scrums at Stradbrook in the closing stages, with injuries robbing 'Rock of their supply of front rowers.

St. Mary's had the better of the opening half but failed to put their chances away, and three penalties from full-back Darragh Fitzpatrick had the home side 9-8 ahead at the break.

The visitors' early points came from a Ronan Doherty and a Gavin Dunne penalty, and a second successful kick from full-back Dunne edged his side ahead, just after the restart.

Peter Smyth's men did not look back and well-taken tries from lock Robin Copeland and winger Darragh Fanning, with Dunne adding one conversion, saw them stretch into a 17-point lead.

Copeland's ninth try of the league campaign - he remains the division's top scorer - came after Blackrock lost scrum half David Moore to the sin-bin for a high tackle.

With the St. Mary's defence proving water-tight, 'Rock could find no way back and today's result leaves them third-from-bottom and with work still to do if they are to keep ahead of relegation-threatened Clontarf.

Scorers: Blackrock College: Pen: Darragh Fitzpatrick 3

St. Mary’s College: Tries: Ronan Doherty, Darragh Fanning, Robin Copeland; Con: Gavin Dunne; Pens; Gavin Dunne 3