It took the stamina-sapping demands of extra-time to separate Leinster's newly promoted Greystones and Old Belvedere in the AIB All-Ireland League Division Two final at Templeville Road on Saturday.
By the end, Greystones gained maximum consolation for falling seven points short of Belvo in the regular season by virtue of extra-time tries from jet-propelled fullback replacement Darren McKenna (two) and openside Robert Connolly in a 37-21 win.
"It is fantastic. We were going well in the league up to Christmas. We lost two games and it knocked us out of winning the division. This is a good second best as a tangible reward, along with promotion, for all the work the lads put in during the year," said Greystones coach Colin McEntee.
McEntee must have taken satisfaction out of putting one over on his Leinster Academy colleague and the former Greystones playmaker Richie Murphy, now player-coach with Belvo.
Murphy took it on the chin: "It is hard to take when you win 14 out of 15 games in the league and you don't win the title. It is a bit of a strange one. For next season, I think both sides can survive and survive well. The big test will be up front and whether they can get enough ball. If they do, they will be okay"
There was an air of quiet satisfaction about Bruff's Welsh coach Eugene Murnane after seeing his players upset favourites Wanderers 18-12 with tries from hooker Cathal O'Regan and captain Brendan Deady in the Division Three final curtain-raiser.
"It is a massive way to finish the season for us. Having missed out on promotion, it would have put a dampener on the year. A win like this gives us great momentum for next season."
Man of the Match Tony Cahill was one of three brothers along with Brian and Eoin, to taste victory: "We're all so close. There are four Carrolls, three Cahills and two Malones in the squad. It is a family club. We're all in this together and we want to go on from here. We will be disappointed if we don't get promoted to Division Two next year".
DIVISION TWO FINAL.
At Templeville Road (after extra-time): Greystones 37 (D McKenna 2 tries; R Connolly, S Cranley tries; J Power 3 pens, 4 cons) Old Belvedere 21 (B Kinsella, R Keane try each; A Dunne 3 pens, con).
DIVISION THREE FINAL.
At Templeville Road: Bruff 18 (B Deady, C O'Regan tries; B Cahill 2 pens, con) Wanderers 12 (B Treacy 4 pens).
