A triumph of sorts for Terenure in a match riddled with basic errors. Lively, passionate and eye catching, Lansdowne may well take a closer look at their discipline after losing a game which at the end almost swung their way. Had it done so it would have been as a result of Terenure folly.
The home side were chasing for the entire match. Terenure always had their nose in front by a score or two but were unable to close out the game. Lacking the ruthless streak that allowed them to put away Ballymena some weeks ago, they flirted with defeat up until the final seconds.
It should never have been like that as Lansdowne allowed themselves to be turned over and in attack looked flat and somewhat predictable. Shane Horgan was involved in most efforts to some effect, using his impressive physique to invariably breach the gainline.
Gordon D'Arcy also added an edge coming into the line from full back, but Lansdowne often looked like they were messing up practice ground moves, too often the ball being spilled.
As Terenure coach Gerry Murphy said afterwards: "Both sides made a lot of mistakes and that usually makes for a better spectacle. We're very pleased because without Eric Miller, who has flu, we had to completely re-jig the back row."
Miller, indeed, would have given Terenure more shape. They led 16-3 at half time, a poor return for their territorial advantage. With Richie Governey composed and level-headed at out-half and scrum-half Derek Hegarty buzzing about and sharp to every breakdown, Terenure's servicing area was the stronger on the day.
However, given that Lansdowne back-rower Aidan McCullen was sin-binned for deliberately killing the ball on 37 minutes, there were certainly opportunities for Terenure in the middle of the match.
Barry Everitt and David Lynagh both had good strike rates, neither missing anything from within a reasonable range. Everitt's haul was four penalties and a conversion for Lansdowne, Lynagh going one better for Terenure with five penalties and one conversion.
Girvan Dempsy had a quiet match for Terenure. In the 67th minute, however, he did make what could have been a match-winning tackle when Marcus Dillon came steaming down the right wing with space either side. Dempsey moved across from the middle of the pitch in a canter, timing his tackle perfectly to put ball and man into the substitutes' bench beneath the West stand.
Lansdowne scored two tries.
D'Arcy scored shortly after the break when he showed impressive physical ability to bullock through and then Stephen O'Connor scored at the end, but O'Conner's came from desperation when the game was gone.
Terenure should have sealed the match earlier when they were 17-22 ahead and deep in Lansdowne territory with just minutes remaining. It was to Terenure's visible relief that Governey then took a sweet drop goal for 17-25 before then allowing the home side to roar back.
But two scores were out of bounds for Lansdowne with the seconds ticking by and the best they could do was to get to within seven points.
Scoring sequence: 13 mins D Lynagh pen 0-3; 22 mins D Lynagh pen 0-6; 30 mins B Everitt pen 3-6; 34 mins M Smyth try, Lynagh con 3-13; 37 mins D Lynagh pen 3-16. 45 mins B Everitt pen 616; 50 mins D Lynagh pen 6-19; 54 mins B Everitt pen 9-19; 56 mins D Lynagh pen 9-22; 57 mins G D'Arcy try 14-22; 79 mins B Everitt pen 17-22; 81 mins R Governey drop goal 17-25; 83 mins S O'Connor try, B Everitt con 24-25
LANSDOWNE: G D'Arcy; M Dillon, S Horgan, G Hamilton, R Dolan; B Everitt, D O'Mahony (capt); E Bohan, C Egan, A McKeen, G Fulcher, S O'Connor, A McCullen, S mcEntee, C McEntee. Replacements: G Quinn for Fulcher (65 mins).
TERENURE: G Dempsey; M O'Kelly, D Murphy, M Smyth, D Lynagh; R Governey, D Hegarty; S Baretto, J Blaney, J Campbell, R Sherrif, D Quinn, C Potts, Dermot Blaney, P O'Malley. Replacements: S Cullen for Murphy (30 mins).
Referee: D McHugh.
