OLD BELVEDERE 14 CORK CONSTITUTION 20, Anglesea Road
Scorers: Old Belvedere: Tries: Sean Coughlan, Penalty try; Cons: Steve Crosbie 2
Cork Constitution: Try: Graeme Lawler; Pens: Tomas Quinlan 5
HT: Old Belvedere 0 Cork Constitution 9
Old Belvedere have fallen from first to fourth in the table after Tomas Quinlan’s ever-accurate left boot set up a 20-14 win for Cork Constitution at Anglesea Road.
Quinlan landed five penalties, including three for a 9-0 interval lead, as Brian Hickey’s charges made it two victories on the bounce, leaving them fifth and just four points off the summit.
‘Belvo’s back-line was significantly strengthened by full-back Daniel Riordan’s return from injury and recent Munster recruit Steve Crosbie’s selection at inside centre.
Kiwi lock Mat Ritani and ex-Ballynahinch flanker Paul Pritchard also started, with Karl Millermoving to number 8, while Sonny Dwyer’s inclusion at blindside was Constitution’s only change from their excellent 31-13 victory over Lansdowne.
Quinlan split the posts with a 35-metre penalty with barely a minute on the clock, ‘Belvo struggling to gain a foothold as Cork Con made use of possession in dangerous areas. Their skipper Niall Kenneally carried very effectively from his inside centre position.
Winger Rob Jermyn knocked on just shy of the try-line on the quarter hour mark, but the Con scrum was making a serious impact and Belvedere were down to 14 men after winger Sean Coughlan was sin-binned for a high tackle on the rampaging Kenneally.
Quinlan fired over the subsequent penalty, 24 minutes in, and despite the best defensive efforts of Miller in particular, 14-man ‘Belvo fell further behind when the visitors’ young out-half had his third penalty success.
Four minutes into the second half, scrum half Jason Higgins exploited some space in the Belvedere half and offloaded for half-time replacement Graeme Lawler to drive over the whitewash in clinical fashion. Quinlan missed the conversion but made amends with a 59th minute penalty for 17-0.
The introduction of Simon Killeen and Leinster ‘A’ scrum half Charlie Rock brought some fresh impetus to ‘Belvo’s play. Following a yellow card for Jermyn, the hosts opened their account when Coughlan grabbed a converted score.
The dependable Quinlan answered back with another penalty ten minutes from time, but the Dubliners continued their try search and their persistence was rewarded with a penalty try in injury-time, converted by Crosbie for a hard-earned losing bonus point.
OLD BELVEDERE: Daniel Riordan; Shane McDonald, John Kennedy (capt), Steve Crosbie, Sean Coughlan; Willie Staunton, Aaron Sheehan; Adam Howard, Edward Rossiter, Declan Lavery, Jack Kelly, Matt Ritani, Michael Oyuga, Paul Pritchard, Karl Miller.
Replacements: Cathal O’Flynn, Daryl Ryan, Tom de Jongh, Simon Killeen, Charlie Rock.
CORK CONSTITUTION: Shane Daly; Liam O’Connell, Ned Hodson, Niall Kenneally, Rob Jermyn; Tomas Quinlan, Jason Higgins; Liam O’Connor, Max Abbott, Rory Burke, Conor Kindergan, Brian Hayes, Sonny Dwyer, James Murphy, Evan Mintern.
Replacements: Greg Roche, Gavin Duffy, Graeme Lawler, Michael Clune, John Poland.