OLD BELVEDERE 44
CORK CONSTITUTION 13
DANNY RIORDAN’S hat-trick of tries helped Old Belvedere towards a comprehensive win over Cork Constitution at Anglesea Road.
Cork Con took the lead after just two minutes when the reliable Jonathan Holland kicked between the posts from 35 metres. But Belvo responded impressively with their first try three minutes later when Riordan finished off a fine move across the Cork Con line. Glynn fell short of the target with his conversion attempt.
Con’s outhalf Holland added a penalty on 17 minutes, but a successful three-point attempt by Glynn three minutes later was enough to give Belvo a slender 8-6 advantage heading into the second period.
The 2011 champions really opened up after the re-start, however, as early five-pointers from Riordan and flanker Kieran O’Gorman turned the screw on their Munster counterparts. There was a
real sense that this game was starting to slip away from Con, and they found themselves 24 points behind by the hour mark as a result of a second penalty from Glynn, and a third try by the outstanding Riordan on the left flank.
This effectively killed off the game as a contest, and even though Gerry Hurley broke through for a 66th minute try, it proved to be nothing more than a consolation, as late tries frm the powerful Jack Conan and second-row Josh Eden-Whatiri eased Belvo over the line for a bonus-point win.