Player-coach Emmett Farrell grabbed a 78th-minute try as Blackrock College won on only their second ever AIB League visit to Dubarry Park.

AIB LEAGUE: DIVISION ONE: Saturday, October 14

BUCCANEERS 20 BLACKROCK COLLEGE 30, Dubarry Park

Scorers: Buccaneers: Tries: David Kelly, Tommy Cregan; Cons: Cregan 2; Pens: Cregan 2

Blackrock: Tries: Brian Canavan, Des Dillon, Michael Price, Emmett Farrell; Cons: Fionn Carr 2; Pens: Carr 2

Former Ireland 'A' out-half Farrell, who was called in as a late replacement before kick-off, shimmied over from 20 metres out for the crucial score. The effort confirmed him as the first winner of the Oysterhomes man-of-the-match award.

'Rock led 13-3 at the interval courtesy of a Brian Canavan try and two Fionn Carr penalties. Tommy Cregan landed a penalty for Buccs.

Des Dillon (43 minutes) and Michael Price (50) added further tries for the visitors who went 23-3 ahead. Buccs made a fight of it with tries from David Kelly and Cregan, who tallied up 15 points, but Farrell had the final say.

Buccs, who were missing Paul Warwick (Connacht duty) and Michael Diffley, Conor O'Loughlin, David McGowan and Simon Rolleston due to injury, were almost shocked in the first-minute when 'Rock full-back Price looked set for a try in the right corner but Ted Robinson got across to cover the danger.

Ireland Under-21 starlet Carr kicked his first penalty after five minutes and after Cregan had missed one at the other end and a Buccs offside, he landed his second from the ten-metre line.

The tie turned further in 'Rock's favour on 38 minutes when Buccs number 10 David Connellan had a clearance kick charged down and centre Canavan picked up the bouncing ball to score with Carr converting. A late Cregan penalty left the hosts 13-3 in arrears for the second half.

With a wind advantage to come, Buccs looked primed to come from behind but they were literally 'rocked' when former Leinster back row Dillon was driven over for 'Rock's second try from a lineout.

Cregan cut the gap to 18-6 but just four minutes later, Price timed his run perfectly from the rear to join the 'Rock line and convert a two-to-one overlap on the right.

Buccs hit back straight away when William Wallace took full advantage to claim Connellan's bobbling restart kick, he fed Niall O'Hara and lock Kelly was put charging in for the try. Cregan converted.

After a series of missed opportunities, Buccs then made it 23-20 as former Blackrock College schoolboy Aidan Wynne, brought on in the centre for Wallace, darted through a gap on 73 minutes and set up ruck position. The ball was swung back out to Wynne and he offloaded for Cregan to dot down in the right corner.

The Buccs full-back, last season's top scorer with 185 points, added the conversion from an incredible angle to really heap the pressure on the visitors.

Nonetheless, 'Rock, with Ireland lock Leo Cullen's younger brother Owen captaining them, steadied themselves and the classy Farrell got the better of two defenders to run in for his side's fourth and match-clinching try. Carr converted and the Dubliners held on for a morale-boosting success.

Buccaneers: T Cregan; T Robinson, A Hayman, W Wallace, N O'Hara; D Connellan, M Bruce; B Gilligan, G Halligan, K O'Neill, D Kelly, P Cunningham, C Finnerty, C Hartigan, A Hanley.

Subs used: B Campbell for Gilligan, M Madden for Halligan, A Wynne for Wallace.

Blackrock College: M Price; G Brown, F Carr, B Canavan, A O'Neill; E Farrell, D Popplewell; M Cuffe, J Mannion, K Maloney, O Cullen, A Byrnes, P Graham, D Laffan, D Dillon.

Subs used: C Culleton for Mannion, R Woods for Graham.

Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (Munster)