Div Three Final/Greystones 39 Instonians 20: Long-serving Greystones prop Liam Murphy trudged from the field at Lansdowne Road on Saturday with none of the worries of the world across his broad shoulders. He was leaving the game he loves as a winner.
"Considering it was my last year, my last game, it was the best way possible to finish the season. We have only been beaten once all season," said Murphy. "I think we were unlucky not go up last year. If we had made it, I reckon we would have been in the top four. That is how good the set-up is in Greystones."
There was no doubt about his conviction and the younger players coming through like Robert Connolly, David Popplewell and David McKechnie provided proof Greystones have what it takes to survive in the higher division next season.
In fairness, Instonians were not intimidated by Greystones' gnarled pack of forwards including Colin McEntee, Murphy, Shane McEntee and Dan McGettigan. They didn't have to be because the winners looked to move the ball at every opportunity.
The back three of David McKechnie, Nabil McNaughton and Stuart O'Connell were devastating on the run. McKechnie (2) and O'Connell finished three of their seven tries and McNaughton cut Instonians' open time after time by coming in off the wing and finding the gaps in midfield.
Instonians were no slouches when it came to moving the ball into space. They played their part in a wonderfully positive, almost celebratory, atmosphere. Maybe, if they had played it tighter, they could have made it a closer run thing. Right wing Michael Orchin-McKeever dived in for their third and only try deep into the last quarter to reduce the gap to seven points.
McNaughton's 50-metre slalom ride through a ragged defence opened the way for Nathan Beuck to stroll to the posts for Warren Edwards to convert and O'Connell scorched down the sideline for Greystones' seventh try in injury-time.
Scores: Greystones (D McKechnie 2 tries; D Popplewell, D McGettigan, R Connolly, N Beuck, S O'Connell try each; W Edwards 2 cons); Instonians (C Simeon, Q Caulfield, M Orchin-McKeever try each; S Flynn pen, con).
GREYSTONES: D McKechnie; S O'Connell, C McNaughton, A Higgs, N McNaughton; W Edwards, D Popplewell; L Murphy, R Willis, P Du Toit, D McGettigan, G Murphy, S McEntee, C McEntee, R Connolly. Replacements: N Hopkins for Du Toit, 53 mins, temp), N Hopkins for Murphy (65 mins), N Beuck for McEntee (68 mins), B Holmes for McGettigan (78 mins.
INSTONIANS: A McKinney; M Orchin-McKeever, N Stewart, M Young, G McClintock; S Flynn, A Craig ; B Barrett, J Craig, G Mitchell, J Gardiner, K Morton, M Hill, M Smith, C Simeon. Replacements: D Sloan for Craig, D Brownrigg for Barrett, F Gallagher Craig, Q Caulfield for Smith (all half-time), B Wallace for McKinney (56 mins), McKinney for McClintock (69 mins).
Referee: G Clancy, IRFU.
