A DROP goal by centre Michael Jackson eight minutes from time gave Coleraine the narrowest of victories over Cork RTC in an exciting Ascent Cup semi final at Sydney Parade yesterday.
Cork went into the lead after 23 minutes when former international Jack Clarke burst through the middle to score close to the posts. Conor Burke added the conversion.
Right on the stroke of half time another straight burst took Clarke into Coleraine's 25 and the fullback passed to second row Steve Rose who crossed over to give Cork a 12-0 lead at half time.
Coleraine's out half Marty McAvoy got his side back on track with a drop goal in the first minute of the second half. Fourteen minutes later, flanker and captain Dermot O'Rourke made Cork pay dearly for some lax defending when he got the touchdown following a kick ahead by winger Steven Kennedy. Steven Colgan kicked an excellent conversion and Coleraine had cut the deficit to two.
Cork dug in and seemed to have turned the tide but Jackson then made a great break out of defence. The ball was carried on by flanker John Tait and lock David Thompson and when the ball came back from the ruck Jackson landed the drop goal.
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