Garryowen give signal of season ambitions

If first impressions end up reflecting what lies ahead, then Garryowen are set for another long run. Even on this score-line, the only question left floating around Dooradoyle on Saturday was how much better they can get.

With six well-worked tries, huge contributions from David Wallace and Connie Botha in the forwards, and moments when hooker Keith Wood combined gracefully with out-half Jeremy Staunton, it's not difficult to imagine why this team can go one step further than beaten finalist's of last year.

True, the pack needs fine-tuning, yet they still recorded almost half the scores. Coach John Hall was allowed the added satisfaction that, with their total score and bonus point, they become the early league leaders.

"I am pleased that we scored 38 points, mostly because we've really had very little preparation for this," he said. "We're right in the middle of the European Cup and the Munster guys only came in this week. To score six tries against such tough opposition is the main thing to be pleased about here."

Somewhat reserved words considering Terenure know well how much more they could have surrendered. The still maturing genius of Jeremy Staunton, the tricky effects of Tom Tierney at scrum-half and the significant displays of newcomer Barry O'Neill at centre and Melvyn McNamara on the wing, both of whom claimed tries, were just parts of Terenure's dark afternoon.

Garryowen's opening try on 17 minutes was just one example of how this team functioned as a unit. Staunton's penalty found touch, Shane Leahy was superb in the line-out, and Wood was first up with the ball after the drive over the line.

Terenure responded shortly after when Michael Smyth darted through the Garryowen centres and set up Nathan Ashley's run for the line. But that was only a brief reminder of the sort of running game they had played so successfully in the past.

Even with their periods of possession Terenure routinely failed to make significant yardage into scoring space. Derek Hegarty was, as ever, chief organiser but was left short of support in the back line to make any sort of breakthrough.

Then, within a brief quarter hour spell after the restart, Garryowen had killed the game as a contest. Six minutes in, Staunton's break passed through O'Neill and Dominic Crotty before Wallace steamed into the corner. Three minutes later, Staunton set up O'Neill with the chance to run over and he swiftly obliged.

For the rest of the game Garryowen moved up field with remarkable ease. Another superb move across the width of the field yielded McNamara's try on 70 minutes and a 33-7 lead.

A momentary lapse at the end allowed Richard Governey to intercept and run in Terenure's second try but Garryowen did the same two minutes later, courtesy of Staunton.

There was that one problem in the scrum, where for all their size, Garryowen only just made a match of it. Eric Miller's hamstring problem meant he couldn't start for Terenure and Rory Sherriff was also forced to cry off.

Scoring sequence: 14 mins: Wood try 5-0; 19: Ashley try, Cullen conversion 5-7; 24: Wallace try 10-7; 46: Wallace try 15-7; 49: O'Neill try, Staunton conversion 22-7; 53: Staunton penalty 25-7; 60: O'Riordan drop goal 28-7; 70: McNamara try 33-7; 75: Governey try, Hegarty conversion 33-14; 77: Staunton try 38-14.

Garryowen: D Crotty; M McNamara, K Hartigan, B O'Neill, K O'Riordan; J Staunton, T Tierney; N Hartigan, K Wood, C Botha, S Leahy (capt), R Leahy, P Neville, D Wallace, P Hogan. Replacements: D Peters for R Leahy (9 mins), P Humphrey's for Wood (60 mins), R Powell for S Leahy (63 mins), R Laffan for Botha, M Connelly for McNamara (both 72 mins).

Terenure: S Cullen (capt); D Murphy, N Ashley, M Smyth, G Dempsey; R Governey, D Hegarty; S Barretto, J Blaney, J Campbell, D Dunne, C Potts, P O'Malley, D Blaney, C Long. Replacements: M O'Kelly for Ashley (70 mins), J Sharpe for Long (74 mins).

Referee: D Tyndall (LAR).