TEREUNURE - 23 BLACKROCK - 20: Though compelling in a limited sense, a brutal game of forward grind and ruck was ultimately left to the kickers to decide.
Outhalf Richie Governey spent his second half picking away at an 8-17 Blackrock lead built up over 40 minutes of savage conditions, with a gale blowing down onto the clubhouse and the surface living up to its name: most definitely Lakelands.
With the wind behind, Blackrock ran in two tries with Conor Kilroy adding a penalty and two conversions for the half-time advantage. And it was subsequently Kilroy to whom the pivotal moment of the contest belonged deep in injury time.
Governey had, in the last minute, landed a wind-assisted penalty from right of centre to send Terenure into a 23-20 lead. Three minutes later, as Blackrock desperately drove forward into the rain, referee Donal Courtney blew for an infringement at a ruck and turned the ball over to Terenure. Player-coach Kevin Putt threw his arms in the air, as a punt the entire length of the pitch from Governey was not unreasonable.
But his joy was short lived after a touch judge intervention called a Terenure foul, handing Blackrock the penalty and the possibility of a last- gasp draw.
This time a disbelieving Kilroy watched his kick hold up just too much as the wind pushed it wide, leaving the home side with only their second win over Blackrock from seven league meetings.
Blackrock had brought their heavy artillery with them; Paul Wallace and Shane Byrne were in the front row, Leo Cullen and Bob Casey behind, giving the visitors a muscular-looking front eight.
But with Eric Miller at blindside for Terenure, they too shaped up to the challenge.
Ultimately it was Terenure's discipline that allowed them to shade it, and with captain Shane Cullen's exhortations of "No penos, lads, no penos" rising even above the elements, so it was there that Blackrock perished. Governey was offered seven attempts in the second half and kicked five.
From Miller's point of view, the match was testing in every way. Against the wind the yards were not hard, but murderous. Both sides played it intelligently, holding on to possession and recycling, fighting for every inch of territory. It was a case of popping up the ball for one of the juggernauts to come in, accelerator to the floor, and jack-knife into a tackle.
The scrumhalves were only too delighted to off-load facing the wind, but they also ran for every opening simply to get the yardage.
Kilroy and the considerable bulk of centre David Quinlan had opened a 3-14 lead for Blackrock after 21 minutes as they piled on the pressure. Another kick and the visitors were cruising into the break 3-17 ahead, before a lapse in defence allowed Terenure centre Dermot McEnerney a run at outhalf John Corry to nab a late try for a satisfying 8-18 turn around.
Scrumhalf Ben Willis may have given Blackrock a third try, but a one-handed scoop with nobody in front of him at the close resulted in a knock on.
At that stage it looked like Blackrock hadn't enough on the board to weather the predictable second half siege. A yellow card to replacement prop Ian Mclaughlin on 61 minutes didn't help the visitors's efforts, but they simply gave way too much under intense Terenure pressure.
Governey was given kicks on 55, 60, 61, 68 and 70 minutes and brought his side ahead for the first time at 20-17 on 70 minutes. Kilroy levelled before another kick on 80 minutes took Terenure to 23-20 and a place in the top four.
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6 mins: C Kilroy try, Kilroy con 0-7; 10: R Governey pen 3-7; 21: D Quinlan try, Kilroy con 3-14; 36: Kilroy pen 3-17; 39: D McEnerney try 8-17. Half-time. 43: Governey pen 11-17; 55: Governey pen 14-17; 60: Governey pen 17-17; 70: Governey pen 20-17; 73: Kilroy pen 20-20; 80: Governey pen 23-20.
TERENURE: S Cullen (capt); P Costello, JB Sullivan, D McEnerney, S King; R Governey, K Putt; S Berretto, C Egan, J Nolan, M Quinn, D Quinn, E Miller, P O'Malley, D Blaney. Replacements D McAllister for King (77 mins).
BLACKROCK: N Turner; M Jackson (capt), G Browne, D Quinlan, C Kilroy; J Corry, B Willis; N Fox, S Byrne, P Wallace, B Casey, J Fitzgerald, D O'Brien, R Rogers, L Cullen. Replacements I McLaughlin for (Fox 14 mins); A O'Neil for Jackson (53 mins); J Ferris for Willis (73 mins).
Referee: D Courtney (Leinster)
