Instonians 32 Bruff 23:IT COULDN'T have worked out any better all-round really in the AIL Division Three final as two promoted clubs let loose with a wonderful advert for club rugby at Donnybrook on Saturday.
Clem Boyd's Instonians claimed the significant consolation of sending Bruff to their first defeat of the campaign after finishing second to the Limerick men in the regular season.
Bruff brought the best defence in the history of the AIL, leaking on average a miserly 3.7 points per match, only to be shredded here by a superior attacking side.
There was a sense Bruff were a side tailor-made for the bump and grind of winter rugby as they looked to allow their forwards to do what they have done since day one - overpower and dominate.
It was nowhere more obvious than in the identity of their most effective runner. Outhalf Brian Cahill ran the ball more than he passed or kicked it and was inclined to jink back inside to seek the support of his backrow runners by playing to his greatest strength, his offload out of the tackle or in heavy traffic.
Instonians knew from their 6-5 regular season reverse they had to patrol the fringes and one-out channel diligently. Their backrow of John Gardiner, Darren Lyttle and Adam Glass made a nuisance of themselves and their backs were superbly marshalled by former Ireland outhalf Niall Malone.
Scorers: Instonians: N Malone, A Telford, K Morton, O McMurray tries; McMurray, two pens, three cons: Bruff: J-S Shine two tries; B Cahill, three pens, two con
INSTONIANS: O McMurray; A Telford, S Uren, M McKeever, J Devitt; N Malone, D O'Hara; C Schofield, W Leacock (capt), G Mitchell. K Morton, M Wilson, A Glass, J Gardiner, D Lyttle. Replacements: C Good for Schofield (63 mins); J Craig for Gardiner (78 mins).
BRUFF: B Deady; P O'Brien, J Malone, G Leonard, F Hogan; B Cahill, E Cahill; D Horan, C O'Regan (capt), G Ryan, D Murnane, A Bourke, D Gardiner, J-S Shine, M O'Rourke. Replacements: S Foster for Gardiner (51 mins, temp); G Luby for O'Rourke (61 mins); A Goodman for Bourke (72 mins).
Referee: A Rogan (Leinster Branch).
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