UCD 14 GARRYOWEN 24, Belfield Bowl
Scorers: UCD: Tries: Liam Hyland, Jonny Guy; Cons: Conall Doherty 2
Garryowen: Tries: Rob Guerin, Andy Keating, Penalty try; Cons: Peadar Collins 2, Pen try con; Pen: Peadar Collins
HT: UCD 7 Garryowen 10
Fifth-placed Garryowen closed the gap on Division 1A play-off rivals Dublin University to a single point after emerging as 24-14 winners over UCD at the Belfield Bowl.
The Light Blues bounced back from successive defeats thanks in no small part to tries from Rob Guerin and Andy ‘Panda’ Keating,while their heavier pack also forced a second half penalty try. However, it was in-form UCD who hit the front in the ninth minute when tighthead Liam Hyland powered over the whitewash after Paddy Patterson had marshalled a series of forward drives.
It was a sloppy start from Garryowen, going seven points down with a man in the sin-bin, but they finished out the opening quarter on level terms. Scrum half Guerin tapped a penalty and it proved a shrewd decision as he rejoined the attack for a clinical close range finish, with centre Peadar Collins supplying the extras from the tee.
Although the students continued to dominate possession as the first half wore on, Garryowen twice claimed turnover penalties to lift the siege on their try-line. UCD lost flanker Jonny Guy to a 32nd-minute yellow card, and a few minutes later, Collins stepped up to nudge the visitors in front for the interval – 10-7 – but a scuffle on the stroke of half-time saw Hyland join Liam Cronin in the bin.
When play resumed, wind-backed UCD were on the front foot with out-half Matthew Gilsenan kicking a succession of penalties to touch. They were denied by some dogged defending, but UCD’s persistence paid off in the 53rd minute when the excellent Guy showed a great turn of pace to evade covering full-back Andrew O’Byrne and gleefully dive over for a try converted by Conall Doherty.
Chasing the game once more at 14-10 down, Conan Doyle’s charges enjoyed an extended attacking spell on the hour mark. Guerin almost sniped over on a couple of occasions and the influence of Collins and Jamie Gavin was growing. Seizing his opportunity in the 62nd minute, Keating showed impressive strength to ground the ball under a pile of bodies and Collins converted for a 17-14 scoreline.
UCD were now struggling to break out of their own half, and although they initially held out under immense pressure from the Garryowen scrum, a big drive from a few metres out shunted them backwards and referee Richard Horgan awarded the Light Blues their penalty try. UCD did have one final chance to snatch a losing bonus point, but Doherty’s tricky penalty effort drifted past the uprights.
UCD: Conall Doherty; Tim Carroll, Andy Marks, Paul Kiernan, Cillian Burke; Matthew Gilsenan, Paddy Patterson; Sam Griffin, Bobby Sheehan, Liam Hyland, Cian Prendergast, Brian Cawley, Jonny Guy, Alex Penny (capt), Ronan Foley.
Replacements: Richie Bergin, Evin Coyle, Keelan McKenna, Nick Peters, Aaron O’Sullivan.
GARRYOWEN: Andrew O’Byrne; Bryan Fitzgerald, Peadar Collins, Dave McCarthy, Cian O’Shea; Jamie Gavin, Rob Guerin; Niall Horan, Liam Cronin, Andy Keating, Kevin Seymour, Dean Moore (capt), Sean O’Connor, Tim Ferguson, Sean Rennison.
Replacements: Conor Fitzgerald, Jack Mullany, Alan Fitzgerald, Ben Swindlehirst, Evan Maher.