Byrne plays pivotal role

Nothing in the scoreline to suggest this was anything other than one-way traffic. The fact that Blackrock were a mere 15-3 up at half time was the only mild surprise in an otherwise clinical performance from a new look side.

Wanderers were hopelessly outclassed in the scrum. Combined with powerful running off sweet ball from the pivotal Emmet Byrne Blackrock illustrated that they mean serious business this year. Byrne was the Blackrock ringmaster. Working both sides of the scrum and breaking tackles around the fringes, the Blackrock out-half orchestrated much of his sides best play. It took 10 minutes for Russel Southam to register the first points for Wanderers to go 3-0 ahead. But from there on it was all Blackrock. Farrell, Keating and Jackson ran in tries in the first half, none of which were converted, with Halpin, John Woods and Shane Byrne also scoring. Had Byrne been able to covert more effectively the scoreline could well have been 50 points.

Scoring sequence - 10 mins Southam pen 03; 12 mins Farrell try 5-3; 24 mins Keating try 10-3; 34 mins Jackson try 15-3. Half time. 55 mins Halpin try, Farrell con 22-3; 65 mins Woods try 27-3; 70 mins Farrell pen 30-3; 75 mins Byrne try, Farrell con 37-3.

BLACKROCK: T Keating; N Ross, G Brown, M Jackson, D Johnson; E Farrell, J Woods; A McSweeney, S Byrne, G Halpin; J Griffiths, H Kos; R Rogers, B Gibney, L Cullen. Replacements: N Treston for Halpin 65 mins; D Malone for Johnson 68 mins; M Higgins for Rogers 70 mins; G McEvoy for Gibney 71 mins.

WANDERERS: K Nowlan; D Finnegan, Q O'Neale, N Osbourne, R Nowlan; R Southam, E McCormac; D Hanlan, B Cantrall, A Roberts; G Heaslip, J O'Callaghan; E Delreux, B Baggot, R Taylor. Replacements: K McDonnell for Heaslip 48 mins; M Mahon for McCormack 50 mins; L Mahon for Southam 76 mins.

Referee: T Redmond.