FOR Old Belvedere this was the beginning, not the end. Steve Heatley could afford to smile. The new Kiwi coach, who takes over the Dublin club next season,, watched a side illustrate for over 40 minutes a most important virtue - survival.

"Belvedere had a load of killer instinct," he said. "Garryowen were bigger and stronger and faster but they didn't want it at the end. I think that's finally what it came down to - wanting it.

However, there is little doubt that there is plenty for the Anglesea Road team to learn as they survived Garryowen with a brave backs-to-the-wall stand and divested themselves of the losers' tag they had so desperately tried to shake off all season.

They have now a summer to make repairs and the Kiwi is already considering how to go about it. For in Heally's smile there was also a razor. "I hope players realise that there are going to be some changes next season.

Winning around 40 per cent of their line-out ball did not help the home side to build from steady ground and when Neil Francis was forced out of the game just after the break with a back injury it seemed that the loss of their first half-try scorer and main set-piece jumper would wreak further havoc on a final 40 minutes fraught with tension.

While Francis may have clinched the critical try in the 22nd minute, after Fergal O'Beirne bullocked his way out of a ruck and through the middle before squirting the ball out to the supporting lock, it was outside-half Billy Treacy who gave his side most comfort.

The try came after Treacy and Garryowen's Killian Keane had earlier exchanged penalties. Treacy then added the conversion to give his side a 10-6 half-time lead as Garryowen began to increase the tempo and put the home side under increasing pressure.

Indeed, had Ben Cronin, festooned with Old Belvedere players, not been taken down just feet from the line midway through, Garryowen could have gone into the turn ahead.

Over 30 minutes then passed without a score as the game surged, stuttered and frequently stopped. Francis and Shane Leahy burned off some energy with a bout of fisticuffs which sparked off a general melee on minutes but one that was short-lived

Garryowen then laid siege to the home side's line and it was not until the 76th minute that the Limerick team finally released their stranglehold.

A ball fed out to Treacy in his side's first attack of the half was popped over for a drop goal, one that came completely against the grain and deflated the passion.

Four minutes later, Treacy again landed a drop goal this time from 40 metres out, which gave Belvedere the confidence to at last run the ball with some confidence.