Sport

Lansdowne fail to take advantage

LANDSDOWNE - 8 CORK CONSTITUTION - 8: One minute of madness almost cost leaders Cork Constitution dearly in their low-scoring…

Mon Feb 11 2002 - 00:00

LANDSDOWNE - 8 CORK CONSTITUTION - 8:One minute of madness almost cost leaders Cork Constitution dearly in their low-scoring, high-stakes draw with Lansdowne in Division One of the AIB League at headquarters on Saturday.

Within 60 seconds at the end of the third quarter, two mass brawls broke out under the West stand. On each occasion, one player was sin-binned by referee Gareth Doyle.

Both were from Constitution. Second rows Kenny Murphy and Donncha O'Callaghan put the burden foursquare on the shoulders of the six remaining forwards.

"It was a difficult day. I suppose it could have been a lot worse after losing the two lads at a crucial stage of the second half," said coach Brian Hickey.

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"I have to applaud the six that stayed on the field. They stood up well to the Lansdowne pack."

That, they did. There were chances created, but none taken in a temperamental second 40. The heavy pitch worked against the home side, who could not find any traction on the treacherous surface to turned the screw in the mauls.

"They (Lansdowne) are a good side. We knew that. But, maybe we were a little unlucky. We missed a few kicks at goal and had other chances to win it," said Hickey.

The most glaring opportunity came in the 54th minute when Ronan O'Gara's miss-pass looked like putting Ultan O'Callaghan over in the corner. But the number eight was hauled down within inches of the line.

"I don't know what happened to Ultan in the second half. He should have scored in the corner," said Hickey.

"Whether he was suffering from the knock he took early in the game, I don't know."

SCORING SEQUENCE: 7 mins: R O'Gara pen 0-3; 16 mins: A McGowan try 5-3; 31 mins: C Mahony try 5-8; 40 mins: McGowan pen 8-8.

LANSDOWNE: B Doherty; R Dolan, B Geraghty, D Quigley, F Baynes; A McGowan, D O'Mahony; E Bohan, A Ronan, A McKeen, B Cusack, G Quinn, S Rooney, L Toland, A McCullen. Replacements: R Corrigan for McKeen (56 mins); B O'Mahony for McGowan (69); S O'Connor for B Cusack (72); S Whelan for D O'Mahony (73).

CORK CONSTITUTION: B Walsh; D Dillon, Conor Mahony, R O'Donovan, A Horgan; R O'Gara, A O'Sullivan; I Murray, J Fogarty, J O'Driscoll, K Murphy, D O'Callaghan, J Sheahan, J Murray, U O'Callaghan. Replacements: S O'Connor for Murphy (69 mins); B Cahill for U O'Callaghan (71).

Referee: G Doyle (Ulster Society).