First-class honours for UCD

UCD - 44, Old Wesley - 0

This is the tale of two seasons. In one, UCD are down and wounded. In the next, they witness a dream. Saturday afternoon in Belfield brought a conclusion to both.

It was exactly a year ago when UCD had their sights on club rugby in the top division. The first university side in the country to earn such status. But then fate got in the way, they lost the final play-off, and all celebrations were put on hold. So everyone just keeps on keeping on.

And so to here, where a win over Old Wesley would assure them of promotion and again the chance to make Irish rugby history. Four tries and the bonus point would give them the divisional title ahead of Carlow. In the end they got both, and if it was dark they should have had fireworks.

By kick-off time, the usually lifeless stand was being fed with unprecedented support. Family, friends and alumni were there to witness the history. Defeat was never an option.

In the perfect world, perseverance brings its just reward. And this was the perfect game for UCD. Poor old Wesley could have played all weekend and they wouldn't have got near their opposition's score-line. . . .

Defeat was never an option.

Once the tries started coming, it was clear they would never stop. Five minutes before half time, Paddy Hickey-Dwyer zipped over for UCD's fourth try and there was no more looking back. Countdown to celebration time.

While the supporters stood in ovation at the final whistle, the team went into a silent huddle for a moment's reflection. Then came the UCD chant, probably rehearsed last year but only now getting its first airing.

"We honestly don't have any celebrations planned for tonight," said captain, Shane Moore. "We talked about it during the week and we decided that we didn't want to plan for something that hadn't happened. So we'll shower and have a few sambos and see what happens.

"But it is a momentous occasion, especially after what happened last year. We came so close but let Clontarf get away with it. This is just great for the team and the club as a whole. The only thing we had to do today was win, and everything else was a bonus. To go up as champions is just that, a bonus."

Once, there were those who said UCD wouldn't even make the cut in Division Two. Now they will be cutting it with the very best and they have the quality to do it. Moore leads an efficient and imaginative back line, and up front the likes of David Blaney and Des Dillon can rule a game.

Much of this success was planted by the UCD Rugby Academy, set up in 1997 during the era of the late Dr Tony O'Neill. Two new head coaches this season, Dara Rowley and John Campbell, have kept the ideas fresh and enthusiastic. "We are optimistic now about playing in division one," Moore said. "It will be difficult, but I think we will bring an added dimension to the top flight. And hopefully we can keep bringing this sort of crowd rather than just one man and his dog."

Carlow had already done their celebrating last weekend and they won't feel too upset about UCD stealing the divisional title, and perhaps not even the £12,000 prize money. Moments like these are not about the money anyway.

And it was always going to be a footnote in this game, but Old Wesley join Greystones in suffering relegation. At least they went down as part of history.

SCORING SEQUENCE: 17 mins: Dillon try, Moore cons, 7-0; 21 mins: Moore pen, 10-0; 27 mins: O'Riordan try, 15-0; 32 mins: Moynagh try, 20-0; 35 mins: Hickey-Dwyer try, Moore cons, 27-0; 45 mins: Blaney try, 32-0; 75 mins: Wallace try, Moore cons, 39-0; 80 mins: Carroll try, 44-0.

UCD: D O'Sullivan; J Norton, M Colling, P Hickey-Dwyer, P Bredin; S Moore, B O'Riordan; M Moynagh, D Blaney, R McCormack, C Keane, P Callanan, N Coughlan, A Carroll, D Dillon. Replacements: P Wallace for Norton (12 mins); N Breslin for Keane (half-time); I Lynam for McCormack (51 mins); A O'Brien for Moynagh (59 mins); B Quigley for O'Riordan (62 mins); T Cahill for Coughlan (67 mins).

OLD WESLEY: R Morris; M Culhane, R O'Connor, A Lesson, B Doherty; D Smith, P Campbell; I Wallace, S Miller, O Crawford, D Bursey, V Ryan, E Delreux, C Pratt, P Kelly. Replacements: T Jago for Ryan (half-time); R Keith for Miller (50 mins); A Dunne for O'Connor (62 mins); F McNamara for Campbell; W Mulhall for Wallace (both 64 mins); T McDonald for Doherty (68 mins).

Referee: M Orr (Ulster).