Lansdowne Claim McCorry Cup Title
Despite being outscored by two tries to one, Lansdowne’s Under-20s pulled off a memorable 16-15 win over Dublin University in Saturday’s McCorry Cup final at Donnybrook.
2007/08 MCCORRY CUP FINAL: Saturday, April 26
LANSDOWNE 16 DUBLIN UNIVERSITY 15, Donnybrook
Scorers: Lansdowne: Try: Shane Gahan; Con: Lorcan Kavanagh; Pens: Lorcan Kavanagh 3
Dublin University: Tries: Tim McCoy, Conor Colclough; Con: Chris Jebb; Pen: Chris Jebb
A week is a long time in rugby, no doubt about that. Lansdowne’s senior team were relegated from the AIB League’s top flight last weekend but a victory on Saturday has given the Dublin 4 club plenty of hope for the future.
Lansdowne’s talented Under-20 side survived the concession of an injury-time try to win an entertaining McCorry Cup decider and end their season on a high.
It has been a rewarding one for Lansdowne’s players, a few of them gained international honours and they also reached the All-Ireland Under-20 final which they narrowly lost to UL Bohemians.
Outside centre Lorcan Kavanagh, a player who has gained valuable experience in the AIB League this season, proved to be the match winner as he landed three penalties and converted out-half Shane Gahan’s second half try.
Dublin University trailed by 6-3 at half-time with Kavanagh landing two early kicks to a single effort from Trinity captain Chris Jebb.
Ireland Under-19 international Gahan wormed his way over for a 55th-minute try, beating two tacklers on the way to score under the posts and allow Kavanagh stretch Lansdowne’s lead to 10 points.
Trinity were right back in the hunt when a crossfield kick bounced kindly for full-back Tim McCoy to cross the whitewash. Jebb missed the conversion however and that was to prove costly.
Kavanagh gave Lansdowne some comfort again, with ten minutes of normal time remaining, when he knocked over his third penalty success.
Willie Clancy’s side looked set to see out the win but their nerves jangled in deepest injury-time when Trinity centre Conor Colclough got over in the left corner after a well-worked overlap.
Jebb was on target with the conversion kick, dramatically making it a one-point game, but referee Peter Dennehy blew the final whistle seconds later to confirm Lansdowne as worthy champions.
LANSDOWNE: M O’Malley; S O’Dwyer, L Kavanagh, S Kelly, J Sparks; S Gahan, M Healy; I Leonard, T Burns, R Murphy, W Earle, M Waters, A Byrne, B Horan, B McKeever.
Replacements used: S Molle for Cassin (32 mins), R Reilly for Molle (64).
DUBLIN UNIVERSITY: T McCoy; C Jebb, C Colclough, C Coyle, C Murphy; H Murphy, M Reidy; C Goode, M Murdoch, J Gethings, C McDonnell, P Byrne, C McGinn, J Iliff, S La Valia.
Replacements used: R Brady for Coyle (48 mins), S Bell for Reidy, C Suiter for McGinn (both 61), P McCabe for McCoy (67), D O’Riordan for Byrne (79).
Referee: Peter Dennehy (Leinster)