TERENURE...3 ST MARY'S...0The premise beforehand was that there was very little to choose between the combatants. The reality supported that assertion at Lansdowne Road yesterday. Terenure College centre Gary Byrne's 50th-minute penalty was sufficient to decide the outcome.
There have been better finals but that will not matter one whit to Terenure, nor should it. Their 10th title was thoroughly merited, not least for their performance in the closing 20 minutes. Galvanised by Byrne's strike, the shackles that had tempered ambition up until that point were finally cast away.
Infused with a self-belief they produced some pulsating rugby in the final quarter and it was only the obduracy of their opponents, manifest in some gritty, last ditch defending that allowed St Mary's to maintain a whiff of victory.
Both teams advocated the common-sense approach prior to that point in the match, trying not to make a mistake rather than taking the game by the scruff of the neck. It made for some stilted, aerial ping-pong, where field position dictated the attacking gambits implemented.
It was, therefore, all the more startling when Terenure, having edged in front, abandoned caution in favour of the high-tempo, quick-rucking, expansive game that had characterised their victory in the semi-final over Belvedere.
The quality of their rugby improved immeasurably and St Mary's were forced to cling on for dear life, their line leading a charmed existence at times. The true quality of this Terenure team was revealed in individual cameos from the excellent Robert McCarthy at full back to their captain for the day, Alex Dunlop, at number eight.
The performance of the halfbacks - they varied their game intelligently - Conor Gildea and David Brophy - was pivotal to the outcome as was the barrelling qualities of hooker Keith Molloy, prop Niall McCann and second row Brian Moroney. Conor O'Hagan came off the bench to have a big impact.
St Mary's never established the platform they craved up front despite the efforts of Brendan Smith, Brian McGovern and captain Paul Nash. Terenure disrupted their setpieces, tweaked scrums and conjured a couple of steals at crucial times out of touch. St Mary's also pinched their fair share of balls in the lineout but couldn't get the maul rumbling forward.
Terenure's maul in contrast was more dynamic, driven the second possession was secured. One player notable by his absence was St Mary's openside Alex Hutchinson, who was out with a broken arm. He guaranteed their continuity game in previous matches and also hunted down ball carriers.
On the few occasions St Mary's back play clicked, they didn't have sufficient numbers at the breakdown to guarantee quick ruck ball. Yet, despite all these problems, they could have pinched victory and did boast the best player on the pitch.
Centre Stephen Grissing enjoyed a magnificent match, making two searing breaks and innumerable important tackles, the quality of his game in such a tension laden arena a testament to not alone his ability but his character. Philip Brophy ran well from full back, Michael Finlay tackled authoritatively while Jonathan Sexton tried to nudge his pack in the right direction.
St Mary's will reflect that in this season's campaign they didn't concede a try, yet failed to win the title.
Terenure threatened initially, Keith O'Malley claiming a lineout and McCann bursting clear in the St Mary's 22 only to be hauled down. St Mary's responded cleverly by working Gary Roche off his blindside wing outside Grissing but despite his 40-metre run, Terenure shepherded him towards the covering hordes.
On 19 minutes, Terenure were penalised but it was a difficult angle and Sexton's 26-metre penalty into the wind dropped short. St Mary's continued to probe with breaks from Finlay and Grissing but it was Terenure who finished the half the stronger, Grissing producing three great tackles on Moroney, Molloy and Brophy in a seven-minute spell.
St Mary's would enjoy the benefit of the wind in the second half but it was their opponents who almost claimed the first score with Grissing nailing Gildea inches from the line and Nash stopping Mark Hamilton in his tracks.
The seminal moment arrived on 50 minutes, Byrne kicking the penalty from 20 metres. Andrew Sherlock followed up with a fine break before St Mary's lifted the siege.
With 15 minutes remaining they were awarded a penalty in the Terenure 22, near the touchline - it would have been a tough kick at goal - and elected to go for the corner. They over-complicated the lineout move from five metres out, coughing up possession with a knock-on. They had one more counter-attack before referee David Keane blew the final whistle.
SCORING SEQUENCE: 50 mins: G Byrne penalty, 3-0.
TERENURE COLLEGE: R McCarthy; C Doyle, G Byrne, R Harrison, A Sherlock; C Gildea, D Brophy; M Hamilton, K Molloy, N McCann; B Murphy, B Moroney; K O'Malley-Farrell, A Dunlop (capt), A Donohue. Replacements: R Vij for Brophy 44-49 mins; C O'Hagan for Donohue 44 mins; D Cazabon for Doyle 56 mins; C Byrne for G Byrne 65 mins; T Small for Molloy 71 mins; R Vij for Cazabon 73 mins.
ST MARY'S COLLEGE: P Brophy; G Roche, S Grissing, M Finlay, E Lernihan; J Sexton, B McDermott; M Houlihan, D Fallon, B McGovern; B Smith, N Brew; P Nash (capt), G O'Meara, C McInerney. Replacement: R Morris for Fallon 58 mins.
Referee: D Keane(IRFU).
