A superb individual try from Bucanneers centre Mel Deane, just 10 minutes into the second half, settled the game in Bucanneers's favour, at Kilternan on Saturday.
Deane, an Ireland A international, broke from the 22 meter line and cut straight through the DLSP defence to give his outhalf, Simon Allnutt, an easy conversion. The conversion put Bucanneers 11 points ahead.
Bucanneers were fortunate to get so far ahead, and on the run of play DLSP should have been leading by half-time. But three penalty attempts were narrowly missed by the usually reliable Dave O'Riordan.
O'Riordan gave DLSP an early lead just one minute into the game when he scored a penalty from 30 metres, but Simon Allnutt put the sides level after nine minutes with a well-struck penalty. DLSP went ahead again after 11 minutes when they won a penalty after a fine break by O'Riordan and Bucanneers killed the ball. O'Riordan kicked the points, but shortly afterwards his accuracy deserted him.
DLSP were perhaps the better side in the first quarter of the match but too many handling errors let them down.
The Bucanneers forwards began to assert themselves as half-time approached, and they were rewarded by a try from prop forward Martin Cahill following a series of penalties close to the DLSP line, and Allnutt took the easy conversion.
Bucanneers then tightened things up front and gave DLSP as few opportunities as possible. The Rigney brothers Des and Donal commanded the lineouts and their New Zealand captain, Martyn Steffert, was authoritative at number eight.
Martin Cahill was their outstanding forward despite being sin binned in the second half.
DLSP were always ready to open the game, but unfortunate errors continued to let them down. They had 70 per cent of the possession and similar territorial advantage in the first half; but promising breaks tended to collapse in what became scrappy play from both sides.
Deane's try livened proceedings and Bucanneers never looked in trouble after that.
Allnutt missed one penalty attempt after 26 minutes of the second half, but made amends shortly afterwards with the final penalty goal of the day.
Scoring sequence: 1 min - O'Riordan pen 3-0; nine mins - Allnutt pen. 3-3; 11 mins - O'Riordan pen 6-3; 17 mins - Cahill try, Allnutt con. 6-10; 50 mins - Deane try, Allnutt con 617; 66 mins - Allnutt pen. 6-20.
DLSP: S Stephens; J Corr, N O'Riordan, D McCabe, M Cunningham; D O'Riordan, B Hogan; K Condron, S O'Donnell, N Condron, K Wheelock, R Frost, D O'Brien, B Wood, T Giles (capt).
Bucanneers: C Kilroy; M Devine, M Deane, E Molloy, T Stuart-Trainor; S Allnutt, O Cobbe; J Screene, J McVeigh, M Cahill, Donal Rigney, C Rigney, Des Rigney, E Brennan, M Steffert (capt). Replacement: J Maher for Screene; S Dalton for Allnutt; R Keady for Des Rigney.
Referee: G Doyle (Munster)
