Dolphin 14 Cork Constitution 9
Darren Sweetnam helped Dolphin get their AIL Division 1A season back on track when his second-half try was the deciding factor in this local derby at Musgrave Park.
In a keenly contested game that was a real arm-wrestle, the former Cork hurler turned the form book on its head with a well-worked score.
Cork Con were left to rue what might have been,
They forced a penalty with a minute to go and went for the line but Darren O’Shea turned over the throw and Con’s opportunity was gone.
The sides were level at the break with Dolphin's Rory Scannell and Cork Constitution's Johnny Holland exchanged penalties in a half that was punctuated by lineouts and penalties.
They did likewise in the opening minutes of the second half before Sweetnam came in off his wing after an initial break by Scannell to score a try with the latter’s attempted conversion coming off the upright.
Holland added another penalty but that was to be the final score of the match as the Musgrave Park side emerged victorious.
DOLPHIN: E Mills, D Sweetnam, J Gleeson, C Bohane, H Flemming, R Scannell, E O'Shaughnessy, B Scott, N Scannell, C Condon (capt), D O'Mahony, D O'Shea, J Quill, R Murphy, J Fiztgerald. Replacements: M Cronin for J Quill (47 mins), P Ryan for C Condon (51 mins), W Foley for E Scannell, J Quill for J Fitzgerald both (68 mins), C Condon for B Scott (69 mins).
CORK CONSTITUTION: D Lyons (capt), C Quinn, N Kenneally, L Duffy, C Quinn, J Holland, R Foley, B Cagney, A O'Driscoll, S O'Connor, C O'Flaherty, J McSweeney, J Ryan, W Ryan. Replacements: R Burke for G Sweeney (58 mins), M Abbott for A O'Driscoll, for J Sweeney C Desmond for R Foley (68 mins).
Referee: N Corell (IRFU).