Cork Constitution strike late to maintain play-off push
Terenure College 7 Cork Constitution 21
Daire Walsh
Final-quarter tries from Gerry Hurley and Tomás Quinlan proved decisive at Lakelands Park as Cork Constitution overcame Terenure College to consolidate their place in the Ulster Bank League Division 1A play-off positions.
‘Nure started the contest with plenty of intent, and were presented with an ideal opportunity to break the deadlock 11 minutes into the action.
Outhalf Mark O’Neill stepped forward to negotiate a penalty from just outside the 22-metre line, but even though his kick was from a very manageable angle, his eventual effort drifted past the right-hand post.
This was a major let-off for their Leeside counterparts, who grew in confidence as the half wore on.
They did lose influential No 8 James Ryan to injury after 25 minutes, but they ultimately opened their account just shy of the half-hour mark courtesy of a long-distance penalty from flyhalf Quinlan.
This was a morale-boosting score for the visitors – who included former Cork hurlerDarren Sweetnam in their starting line-up – and courtesy of another routine three-pointer by Quinlan in the dying moments of the half, they brought a 6-0 lead into the second period.
The gauntlet had been thrown down to ‘Nure, who had started the season by winning their opening six games, but were now aiming to avoid a fourth defeat in their last five outings.
They managed to force their way back into the reckoning upon the resumption, however, and when Mark O’Neill opted for touch rather than the posts on 53 minutes, hooker Robbie Smyth finished off a powerful lineout maul to register the game’s first try.
A comprehensive conversion by O’Neill edged ‘Nure into the ascendancy, and set-up an intriguing conclusion to the proceedings.
The home team couldn’t push on from here, though, and after Quinlan’s 62nd-minute penalty helped Con to reclaim the advantage, Hurley touched down underneath the posts, via his own chipped kick, for a converted score.
The scrumhalf then turned provider for his side’s third try eight minutes from time, when Quinlan completed a fine day’s work for Cork Con by diving over in the left-corner.
Scorers – Terenure College: R Smyth try, M O’Neill con. Cork Constitution: G Hurley try, T Quinlan try, con, 3 pens.
Terenure College: I Hanly; J O’Donoghue, S O’Neill, W Devane, H Moore; M O’Neill, K O’Neill; R Harrison, R Smyth, O Heffernan; F Walsh, K O’Dwyer; J Dever, J O’Neill, K McCoy. Replacements: R Duke for O’Dwyer (51), K Buckley for Smyth (57), M Mahony for K O’Neill (63), O’Dwyer for Dever (67), S Donovan for O’Donoghue (71).
Cork Con: D Lyons; D Sweetnam, L Duffy, N Kenneally, R Jermyn; T Quinlan, G Hurley; G Duffy, A O’Driscoll, G Sweeney; C O’Flaherty, D O’Brien; G Lawlor, J Murphy, J Ryan. Replacements: L Cahill for Ryan (25), M Abbott for O’Driscoll (51), S Dwyer for O’Flaherty (76), C Corkery for Sweeney (80).
Referee: D Phillips (IRFU)