Seeking solace in the quality of the opposition can be justified on occasions but on Saturday in Lakelands Park, Terenure College were guilty of investing in self-delusion. The prevailing post-match sentiment was that while they had underachieved, the visitors had produced a level of rugby that could not be contained.
Garryowen's right to victory was irrefutable, the excellent character and resilience and better tactical nous patently obvious but for the home side to suggest that their fate was inevitable given the quality of fare they encountered, is unfathomable.
Terenure harvested a huge supply of possession; it was their inability to use it with even moderate intelligence that cost them victory. Trailing 13-3 at the interval but with the benefit of a strong wind to come, the home side somehow managed to shuffle from one blunder to another, their lemming-like addiction to battering holes though the centre only matched by the ill-directed kicking of outhalf David Lynagh.
Their blinkered approach facilitated the Garryowen defence whose concentration and resolute tackling ensured that Terenure would have to work hard for any scores that they received. The home side's failure to use international Girvan Dempsey and the physique of David Coleman on the other wing to any great extent highlighted Terenure's tactical ineptitude at times. In brief glimpses both players demonstrated their ability to beat the tackler.
Instead the home side looked to Eric Miller for inspiration but he was well marshalled by a vigilant Garryowen backrow and anything he did manage was achieved in not so splendid isolation, his team-mates in a different time zone. Only combative scrum half Niall Hogan and hard working props Steve Barretto and John Campbell managed a positive impact around the pitch.
Coach Bobby Byrne candidly admitted Terenure's shortcomings. "Our kicking was indiscriminate, we made far too many basic errors and we coughed up ball far too easily. They were far more disciplined and the better side on the day."
Garryowen's victory is all the more laudable given the absence of the injured Shane Leahy, Ben Cronin and New Zealand centre Rob Durno. In Leahy's absence, his brother Ross was a more than able deputy alongside equally impressive youngster Fergie Costello who will only get better once his gangling frame fills out. Indeed, every one of the Garryowen eight deserves credit but there was no mistaking the game's outstanding performer, David Wallace.
Alternating between number eight when in possession and his more conventional open side flanker berth, Wallace was equally at home in making significant yardage or first up tackles. It was also his ability to snaffle possession from the ball carrier - he managed this on at least four occasions - which transformed several passages of play. His try, three minutes from try was a fitting reward and a tribute to his industry and support play.
Garryowen also enjoyed a marked superiority at halfback where Tom Tierney and the 18-year-old Jeremy Staunton belied their tender years.
The Garryowen halfbacks kicked intelligently in the second half forcing Terenure to turn and often concede the throw-in. Killian Keane and another under-21, Kevin Hartigan tackled solidly while Kevin O'Riordan enjoyed an excellent afternoon on the left wing. He scored one try and made the other with a superb run, beating several tacklers. Dominic Crotty's ability to bypass the first tackler and make significant headway in running the ball into the wind proved a godsend to his pack. The former international had a fine game.
Terenure took the lead on eight minutes with a Lynagh penalty yet despite the visitors territorial dominance it wasn't until the 30th minute that they were rewarded with a try from O'Riordan following excellent work by the pack and a well-timed Staunton pass. Keane converted and added two penalties before the interval.
A Lynagh drop goal pre-empted a Terenure onslaught but their one dimensional approach helped Garryowen to weather much huffing and puffing and it was the Limerick side that enjoyed a flourishing finish with Wallace's try, again converted by Keane. Garryowen are now top and with Shane Leahy and Ben Cronin due back next week, strong contenders for the play-offs.
Scoring Sequence - 8 mins: Lynagh penalty, 3-0; 30: O'Riordan try, Keane conversion, 3-7; 33: Keane penalty, 3-10; 42: Keane penalty, 3-13. 43: Lynagh drop goal, 6-13; 77: Wallace try, Keane conversion, 6-20.
Terenure College: C Clarke; D Coleman, B Treacy, M Smyth, G Dempsey; D Lynagh, N Hogan; S Barretto, J Blaney (capt), J Campbell; R Sheriff, D Quinn; D Blaney, E Miller, B Kavanagh. Replacements: C Potts for Quinn 52 mins; G Hill for D Blaney 52 mins; R O'Connor for Lynagh 68 mins.
Garryowen: D Crotty; M McNamara, K Hartigan, K Keane (capt), K O'Riordan; J Staunton, T Tierney; N Hartigan, P Cunningham, R Laffan; R Leahy, F Costello; C Varley, P Hogan, D Wallace. Replacements: P Fitzgerald for Varley 45 mins; P Humphreys for Cunningham 56 mins.
Referee: B Smith (Munster).
