Eighty minutes of rugby seldom creates such entertainment as this 47th annual Colours match sponsored by Compaq between UCD and Trinity at Donnybrook yesterday evening. Even if most of it was a one-sided affair in favour of UCD, the quality of tries and the commitment of both teams ensured the interest among fellow students and alumni never waned.
Irish under-19 Brian O'Driscoll was inspiring at the centre of the UCD backs and it was from there that the Belfield side dominated. With AIL League points also up for grabs, it was always going to be a hard-fought encounter and UCD were especially eager to extend their overall winning streak in Colours competition.
After gaining the momentum from the start, UCD picked up the inevitable first score just on 20 minutes when scrum-half Ciaran Scally
passed to Andrew Dunne who had no problem bringing it over the line. O'Driscoll quickly showed his kicking ability with a powerfully struck conversion, repeated 10 minutes later when he landed UCD's first penalty.
Trinity struggled to get the ball out of their own half and when they finally did, it was sent straight back into dangerous territory by a Michael Colling run which was taken up by Hugh McMahon. He took it all the way to the score-line, putting UCD 17-0 in front. Trinity out-half Mark McHugh managed to send over two penalties in between O'Driscoll's second to leave it 20-6 at the interval.
The focus of the second half seemed to be on who could create the most imaginative try. Scally showed plenty of initiative to claim the first after just four minutes when he picked up a loose ball from the scrum and dodged his way over. He was also involved in the second when number eight Gordon Cantwell took responsibility from the scrum, quickly passing to Scally, who then caught Joe Shine running over for the touchdown.
A third McHugh penalty kept Trinity awake, but only before O'Driscoll took the next play into his own hands by following his genius chip over Trinity centre Paddy Mettler straight over the line for UCD's fifth try.
In the last 10 minutes, Trinity managed to give their supporters something to cheer about. First they turned what looked like a dangerous defensive run on their own line into a classic try. Trevor Hogan made the original break, supported by William Robb who then passed out to Mettler. UCD couldn't find the tackles and finally fullback Will Martel claimed the touchdown.
Five minutes later, winger Gearoid Hayes did something similar, running from half way down the touch-line for an equally enjoyable try. The UCD defence, however, had had enough and from there on ensured that the plaudits remained in their hands for the third year in succession.
Scorers: UCD: B O'Driscoll three conversions, two penalties, try; McMahon try; Scally try; Dunne try; Shine try. Trinity: M McHugh three penalties, conversion; W Martel try; G Hayes try.
UCD: P Bredin; J Smith, B O'Driscoll, M Colling, H McMahon; A Dunne, C Scally; J Lane, M Moynagh, R McCormack, C Keane, J Smith, J Shine, N Coughlan, G Cantwell. Replacements: C Lynam for Cantwell (48 mins); S Moore for Dunne (51 mins); S Doggett for McMahon (78 mins).
Trinity: W Martel; G Hayes, C Murphy, M O'Kelly, P Mettler; M McHugh, C Curneen; P Laffin, K Murphy, M Fearon, T Hogan, B Buckley, W Robb, R Woods, D Sowerby. Replacements: P Lennon for Buckley (46 mins); A Watkins for Fearon (59 mins); K Richardson for Sowerby (79 mins); R Wallace for C Murphy (80 mins).
Referee: P Harrower (MRA).
