Buccaneers weather late storm to keep in touch with the top

Blackrock College 13 Buccaneers 19: It was make or break stuff at Stradbrook on Saturday. Buccaneers are now sitting nicely in fourth with the mid-season mark approaching next weekend

For the final minutes Blackrock attempted to batter a way over the try line but a well-organised defence refused to relent.

Deep in Buccaneers territory, several players had a go and when the try finally looked on, outhalf Conor Kilroy elected to put the head down, much to the delight of the Buccaneers defence who gobbled him up.

Despite two minor comebacks, Buccaneers led from the 17th minute when second-row Niall Smullen outpaced the cover from 45 yards.

David Connellan missed the conversion and he continued to have the sort of day with the boot that seemed destined to condemn his side to defeat.

Connellan finally began to find his range with a penalty just before the break but if he had hit the target with his four previous attempts Blackrock would have been beaten by half-time.

In contrast, Kilroy was having a fine game with both boot and ball against his former club. He powered over for a try to level the scores, and his conversion edged Blackrock in front.

Buccaneers replied seven minutes later, electing to kick a penalty to touch and go for the five-pointer. It paid off as, from the resulting forward rumble, Niall O'Hara got over in the corner.

Kilroy did manage to level the match with two penalties either side of the interval but Connellan discovered his kicking form to land two of his own, to leave a six-point margin between the sides.

Blackrock still had plenty of chances to turn it around. Especially if you consider Smullen was sent to the sin bin and, on his immediate return, scrumhalf Conor O'Loughlin was also yellow carded but the numerical advantage was never utilised.

SCORING SEQUENCE: 17 mins: Smullen try, 0-5; 19 mins: Kilroy try, con, 7-5; 36 mins: O'Hara try, 7-10; 40 mins: Connellan pen, 7-13; 40 mins: Kilroy pen, 10-13; 49 mins: Kilroy pen, 13-13; 52 mins: Connellan pen, 13-16; 67 mins: Connellan pen, 13-19.

BLACKROCK: P Drew; K Copeland, John Hearty, P Graham, A Pembroke; C Kilroy, R Molloy; A McSweeney, G McEvoy, M Cuffe, D Gannon, V Ryan, R Rogers, B Baxter, D Dillon. Subs: A O'Neill for Pembroke, half-time, T O'Donoghue for Baxter, 66 mins, D O'Sullivan for Molloy, 73 mins.

BUCCANEERS: S Stephens; S Brady, P O'Sullivan, W Wallace, N O'Hara; D Connellan, C O'Loughlin; A Nash, G Halligan, A Duignan, N Smullen, C Short, G Schoeman, E Brennan, D Kelly. Subs: C Finnerty for Smullen, 78 mins.

Referee: L Mayne (Munster).