Bonus point for Buccaneers

Buccaneers had to be content with a single bonus point to move them further away from the Division One relegation zone when falling to Blackrock at Moher Road on Saturday.

The home side was rocked with an early Blackrock try by hooker Geoff McEvoy after Buccaneers outhalf Simon Allnutt had his clearance charged down. Alan McGowan converted.

Allnutt closed the gap with a eighth-minute penalty and after good build-up play scrumhalf Colm Rigney put Allnutt in for a try to give Buccaneers a 10-7 lead. Both outhalfs exchanged penalties before Allnutt gave the home side a 16-10 half-time lead.

Blackrock, missing Brian O'Driscoll, Shane Byrne, Gary Halpin and Leo Cullen, made better use of the second-half wind. Number eight John Ryan went over for a try after Robert Casey's clean catch in the lineout and subsequent drive. McGowan missed the conversion but he restored Blackrock's lead with a 60th-minute penalty.

McEvoy sealed victory for Blackrock by claiming his second try. Thereafter both outhalfs exchanged penalties as Buccaneers earned a valuable bonus point.

SCORING SEQUENCE: 5 mins: McEvoy try, McGowan con, 0-7; 8 mins: Allnutt pen 3-7; 26 mins: Rigney try, Allnut con 10-7; 31 mins: McGowan pen 10-10; 34 mins: Allnutt pen 1310; 38 mins: Allnutt pen 16-10; 56 mins: Ryan try 16-15; 60 mins: McGowan pen 16-18; 72 mins: McEvoy try 16-23; 74 mins: Allnutt pen 19-23; 85 mins: McGowan pen 19-26.

BUCCANEERS: G Austin; M Devine, P Whittaker, D Yapp, O Grennan; S Allnutt, T Robinson; J Screene, J McVeigh, M Cahill, G Brownlie, K Barrett, I Dillon, E Brennan, C Rigney. Replacements: C Keane for Robinson (half-time), C Glynn for Whittaker (52 mins).

BLACKROCK: T Keating; J Ferris, N Turner, M Jackson, D Johnson; A McGowan, D Popplewell; A McSweeney, J McEvoy, N Treston, R Casey, R Murphy, T Hogan, R Rogers, J Ryan. Replacements: I McLaughlin for Murphy (51 mins), J Fitzgerald for McSweeney (58 mins), D McGettigan for Hogan (74 mins), G Browne for Jackson (79 mins). Yellow cards: Blackrock - T Hogan and R Rodgers.

Referee: P Eakan (Ulster)