Lansdowne show cracks

The prevailing voices calling this Lansdowne's year were somewhat hushed among those coming out of rugby's headquarters on Saturday.

On paper Lansdowne look impressive, and there were several moments when they did on the field as well. Four tries to one may please them on the surface but basic errors could have cost them this opening game.

Cork Constitution were playing off the greater handicap. Without the injured David Corkery and four other key players they managed to match Lansdowne. Ronan O'Gara at out-half had a lot to do with them staying in touch, kicking four penalties and composing some of the better moves.

It took the home side more than 20 minutes to open their account. Shane McEntee, supported by the superior forwards in the line-out and the subsequent drive, was pulled over the line for the touchdown.

Everitt added five points minutes later when fullback Rory Kearns created the over-lap and sent him clear and early in the second half winger Niall Gunne sped through for their third.

With the likes of Reg Corrigan, Gabriel Fulcher and Colin McEntee in the forwards, Lansdowne had more than enough to cope. Eleven points clear, they looked to be cruising. However, the Corkmen slowly fought back, aided by some glaring errors by the home side.

O'Gara added his third from the spot and Conor Mahony did well to combine with Tom Kiernan. Unfortunately, the handling was often short and loose. Instead their only reward was midway through the half when Dave O'Brien sneaked down the blind side after O'Meara's inventive pass from the scrum.

That was obviously the wake-up call for Lansdowne. Marcus Dillon finally showed his sprinting talents when breaking free for a try under the posts and Kearns converted.

With five minutes to go Kearns should have wrapped it up. He was sent clear with the easy task of touching down, yet his desire to get under the post cost him the score. Brian Walsh somehow managed to dislodge the ball which actually forced Kearns behind the deal ball line. Not the kind of thing a side with league title ambitions can afford to be doing.

Scoring Sequence: 2 mins: R O'Gara pen, 0-3; 22: S McEntee try, R Kearns conversion, 7-3; 26: B Everitt try, 12-3; 40: O' Gara pen, 12-6; 43: N Gunne try,17-6; 53: O'Gara pen, 17-9; 57: O Brien try, 17-14; 64: M Dillon try, Kearns conversion, 24-14; 67: O'Gara pen, 24-17.

Lansdowne: R Kearns, M Dillon, S Horgan, K McQuilkan (capt), N Gunne, B Everitt, D O'Mahony, R Corrigan, P Grimes, E Bohan, G Fulcher, S O'Connor, J O'Beirne, S McEntee, C McEntee. Replacements: L Toland for O'Beirne (58 mins).

Cork Constitution: B Walsh, T Kiernan, C Mahony, C Mahony, A Horgan, R O'Gara, B O'Meara, P Soden (capt), F Sheahan, J O'Driscoll, D Sheehan, K Murphy, D O'Callaghan, J Canning, J Murray. Replace- ments: D O'Brien for Horgan (17 mins); A Byrne for Kieran (78 mins).

Referee: A Watson (USR).