Not so long ago Victor Costello was informed by the Irish management that international football required an 80-minutes player. The dynamic number eight was told to shape up with his attitude towards fitness or ship out. At that stage Costello might have been criticised for being less mature than other players around him and no one really knew how he would react in the face of what was a public humiliation.
The Irish management made little effort to spin a yarn. Costello was out because he didn't train hard enough.
Now there is little doubt about the former Blackrock student's motivation. Two tries and a probable third before referee David McHugh awarded a first half penalty try to St Mary's capped off what coach Steve Henessy described as an "awesome" performance from the Irish number eight.
Combining Costello's forceful input with the predatory instincts of flankers Trevor Brennan and Mark Cuddihy and an impressive tight five, St Mary's won this game at a canter against a lighter and relatively inexperienced Blackrock side.
"I think the first half, where we got three tries against the strong breeze and up the hill, was where the game was kinda won - provided we kept the ball ahead of the pack in the second half," said Hennessy.
"Once we allowed the pack to go forward after the break, we knew the scores would come. It was that platform we built in the first half off set pieces that won us the game."
It was Costello who emerged triumphantly after just five minutes when Ian Bloomer collected from a St Mary's lineout and the pack powered their way over the Blackrock line.
From the same position in the right hand corner 19 minutes later it was Cuddihy who opportunistically pounced in a Blackrock lineout. The ball was tapped back into the Blackrock zone but it was the back row who rammed his way through to take the touch.
Two earlier penalties from Blackrock full-back Brain Carey left the score at 10-6 before Kevin Nowlan spilled the ball coming into the St Mary's line and the speedy Aidan Guinan kicked ahead to beat the covering Ray McIlreavy to possession. That was in the 28th minute for 10-11 and was to be the visitors last score of the game.
The match by then had a certain inevitability as St Mary's set the tempo and shaped the flow. Superiority in the set pieces was particularly striking, culminating in the penalty try from a set scrum which sent St Mary's into halftime 17-11 ahead.
"The pack played very well and obviously Victor was awesome today," said Hennessy.
"It took two or three guys to look after him. I think there was a big improvement from the back line today and to be honest we've been a bit disappointed in their play over the last few games but the last try today from Peter McKenna was a nice try. We've been working hard on that all season and it hasn't been coming off."
As the pitch cut up Blackrock floundered more and when Carey hobbled off on the hour adding to a lengthening injury list which included outhalf Alan McGowan, St Mary's sensed their opponent's vulnerability.
Costello added his second try in the usual way, bursting from the fringe of a scrum. The pack pushed Blackrock towards their line before winger Paddy Lane fed off a Guinan fumble on the ground and kicked ahead to pick up at his leisure for 29-11.
McKenna's final score was a brash final flourish, typical of a side in full swing and playing with soaring confidence. Bursting through a Blackrock fracture, he galloped away untouched for his side's sixth try of the game.
The win puts St Mary's in fourth position with six games played; Blackrock, with the same number under their belt, sit third from the bottom; Terenure, with two games in hand, and Galwegians with one, occupy the two bottom slots.
Scoring Sequence: 1 min: B Carey penalty, 0-3; 5: V Costello try, 5-3; 16: Carey penalty, 56; 23: M Cuddihy try, 10-6; 28: A Guinan try, 1011; 37: penalty-try, F Campion conversion, 1711; 64: V Costello try, 22-11; 66: P L ane try, F Campion conversion, 29-11; P McKenna try 3411.
St Mary's: K Nowlan; J McWeeney, P McKenna, R McIlreavy, P Lane; F Campion, C McGuinness (capt); J Maher, P Smyth, P Coyle, S Jameson, I Bloomer, T Brennan, M Cuddihy, V Costello. Replacements: E Byrne for Coyle (44 mins); D Bourke for Bloomer (60 mins); G Quinn for Brennan (80 mins).
Blackrock: B Carey; A Guinan, E Robinson, M Roche, T Keating; N O'Donovan, N Assaf; M Cuffe, S Byrne (capt), P Jordan, R Casey, H Kos, R Wheeler, R Lawlor, L Cullen. Replacements: D Johnson for Carey (60 mins); D Hackett for Kos (60 mins).
Referee: D McHugh (Munster)
