Tenacious Terenure earn League title

TAKING advantage of the wind in the first half, Terenure College hit early and often, then protected the lead to defeat the favourites Lansdowne at Castle Avenue last Saturday to capture the Leinster Senior League title, a competition sponsored by Kitty O'Sheas.

In the end Terenure had only a point to spare, but they nonetheless deserved their win. The match, played in the most demanding conditions of intermittent heavy rain and high winds, provided a most worthy contest and fitting conclusion to this revived competition.

Terenure's last triumph in the league was achieved in 1984, and in Lansdowne they faced the Leinster League specialists they have won it six times and a team well endowed with representative players. Yet Terenure had just one player who has won senior representative honours, team captain and prop Peter Bruce, who has worn the Leinster jersey. But Bruce and his colleagues carried the Terenure colours with immense pride and dedication of purpose.

They defended extremely well when the need arose, as it did in the second half as Lansdowne applied the pressure. Some great tackling, allied to the fact that Lansdowne on a few occasions did not exercise the right options, saw Terenure prevail. Their win embellished a fine record for coach Gerry Murphy. He had previously coached Wanderers (twice) and Clontarf to league victories and has never lost a league final.

Terenure outside half Adrian O'Farrell gave his side the lead with a finely judged penalty from an acute angle across the wind in the 14th minute. Then left wing Peter Walsh struck an important blow for Terenure when he intercepted a pass from Lansdowne's scrum half, Fergus Aherne, and ran 70 yards for a spectacular try after 18 minutes.

Penalties by O'Farrell and a long range effort from Walsh enabled Terenure to build a formidable 14 point advantage. But Lansdowne hit back with a try in the 31st minute after their pack drove forward and Colm McEntee got over the Terenure line. Aherne converted to cut the deficit to seven points. But O'Farrell kicked two further penalties before the interval and his side led 20-7 at the break.

With the wind at their backs in the second half Lansdowne enjoyed considerable territorial advantage and dominated the line out, where Paul O'Connor was a prolific ball winner. But Terenure lived with the deficiency, their committed rucking, speed to the loose ball, tremendous work in the loose and brave tackling kept them in the game.

When Rody Corrigan got a try for Lansdowne, who lost their captain Brian Glennon early bin the game, in the seventh minute of the second half, they trailed by eight points. They were also unfortunate when the ball ran over the dead ball line with the Terenure defence stretched.

But Terenure absorbed the pressure and indeed broke out on a few occasions and looked dangerous. O'Farrell, who formed a good half back partnership with Bobby O'Brien, missed a penalty from in front of the post, and it looked at that stage as if might prove costly.

But they held firm until the 77th minute, when Alan Reddan scored a try for Lansdowne and Aherne, who had been wide with a penalty seven minutes earlier, converted to leave just a point between the sides.

But it was enough as Terenure got a footing in Lansdowne territory their precious advantage. Lansdowne had scored three tries to one, yet Terenure had used their resources admirably 0i( more limited possession to accomplish a fine and deserved win.