St Mary's shade it against Garryowen

St Mary's College 13 Garryowen 12, Templeville Road

Declan Cusack’s rapier right boot almost guided Garryowen to a surprise win over leaders St Mary’s College in Ulster Bank League Division 1A.

Cusack scored the only points of a closely-fought second half at Templeville Road, landing three penalty attempts to cut the margin to a single point.

But St Mary’s, as they have shown throughout this campaign, are well able to hold onto a slender lead and they did enough in the end to claim their eighth league victory on the trot.

All of their points came in the opening 40 minutes with centre Mark Sexton, brother of Ireland out-half Jonathan, finishing off a back-line move for the only try of the game.

Winger Ray Crotty, kicking in the absence of the injured Gavin Dunne, landed the conversion and two penalties to make it 13-3 at the break.

And although a Paul Neville-inspired pack got through plenty of work and Cusack looked in a match-winning form, the Light Blues fell just short as St. Mary’s completed a season’s double over the Limerick club and retained the Shay Derring memorial trophy.

Scorers: St. Mary’s College: Try: Mark Sexton; Con: Ray Crotty; Pens: Ray Crotty 2

Garryowen: Pens: Declan Cusack 4

HT: St. Mary’s College 13 Garryowen 3