Gleeson Back In Action

Keith Gleeson – the man who led the Ireland tackle count in last year’s Six Nations win over England – made his first appearance since August in St Mary’s 26-7 Leinster Senior Cup final win over DLSP.

LEDDIN FINANCE LEINSTER SENIOR CUP FINAL:
De La Salle Palmerston 7 St Mary’s College 26, Donnybrook
Scorers: DLSP: Try: Peter Lennon; Con: Phil de Barra
Mary’s: Tries: Barry Lynn, Daragh Hughes; Cons: Lynn, Chris Fifield; Pens: Lynn 4

The 23-times capped openside flanker, who broke a bone in his ankle in a pre-season friendly last summer, took in Saturday’s second half as fly-half Barry Lynn ran the show for the Saints with a 19-point haul.

Palmerston captain Peter Lennon had put his side into an early lead with an 18th-minute try, but it was his sin-binning for a high tackle on Adrian Copeland which swung the game.

With Lynn also carded, Mary’s full-back Daragh Hughes then had the gas on the half-hour to follow his own kick on a 60-metre dash to touch down for a 13-7 half-time buffer.

The inclusion Gleeson added steel to the Mary’s charge and with Lynn tagging on two second half penalties and a brilliant try, set up by Leinster wing John McWeeney, to condemn the Kilternan men to their fourth provincial final defeat in six years.

Leinster manager Paul McNaughton confirmed Gleeson’s plans earlier this week, saying: “Keith has taken full contact in training and our main objective is to get him ready for the March 10 cut-off for registering our two new players for the latter stages of the Heineken Cup.”