O’Gara And Dean Ensure Mary’s Win Thrilling Top Of The Table Clash

ENERGIA ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE MEN’S DIVISION 1A:

Saturday, October 11 –

ST. MARY’S COLLEGE 34 OLD BELVEDERE 17, Templeville Road
Scorers: St. Mary’s College: Tries: Rob Gilsenan, Mick McCormack, Mick O’Gara, Conor Dean; Cons: Mick O’Gara 4; Pens: Mick O’Gara 2
Old Belvedere: Tries: Justin Leonard, Calum Dowling; Cons: David Wilkinson, Morgan Meredith; Pen: David Wilkinson
HT: St. Mary’s College 17 Old Belvedere 10

Three rounds into the new Energia All-Ireland League season, Mark McHugh’s men are sitting pretty following a titanic top of the table clash during which captain Conor Dean, Myles Carey, and Greg Jones all stood out.

St. Mary’s had the better of the first half, with the skilful Dean involved in the build-up to tries from Rob Gilsenan (6 minutes) and Mick McCormack (24). They led by 14 points at one stage.

Justin Leonard’s opportunist effort had Old Belvedere only 17-10 behind at half-time, and it was down to a three-point game after skipper Calum Dowling’s close-range intercept try, approaching the hour mark.

However, Mary’s showed their mettle down the final stretch, Dan Goggin releasing O’Gara for a crucial converted score before Dean clinched the result – and the bonus point – by intercepting to dart clear with six minutes remaining.

Athletic centre Carey set the tone early on in terms of industry for St. Mary’s, gobbling up Gilsenan’s kick over the top before popping up on the left wing a few phases later to launch his own kick chase.

Mary’s hit the front in the sixth minute, the damage being done by former Connacht out-half Dean who cleverly dummied his way past Joe White. He was able to ghost through into the opposition 22 before feeding Gilsenan on his inside to finish behind the posts.

Old Belvedere fell 10 points behind after O’Gara converted and then punished Calum Dowling’s high tackle with a well-struck penalty. The returning Ronan Watters got his hand to a ‘Belvo lineout to maintain the hosts’ strong start.

Carey’s high-fielding skills, and Mark Fogarty’s link play, had O’Gara threatening until a penalty for accidental offside allowed last season’s Division 1B champions to briefly break past the halfway line.

David Wilkinson, the top flight’s leading scorer coming into this weekend, got their first points on the board in the 17th minute, nailing a long-range penalty which was awarded for Goggin’s rip on the ground.

Carey’s high-fielding skills and eye for a break had Mary’s swiftly back on the attack. Fogarty was hauled down five metres short before an untimely knock-on. When they came again, a Carey pass was ruled forward.

However, McHugh’s charges continued to make metres, keeping up a high tempo and accuracy with ball in hand. A Dean snipe took them close before tighthead McCormack pounced a couple of phases later, powering over from a ruck for O’Gara to convert.

‘Belvo wasted little time in restoring the 10-point gap though, as winger White’s nicely-judged 50:22 kick put them in striking position. They caught Mary’s off guard when Leonard burst onto Jayden Beckett’s quick lineout throw for a clear run-in, and Wilkinson supplied the extras.

White came to Belvedere’s rescue with a try-saving tackle on Fogarty just before the break. Ireland Sevens international Aaron O’Sullivan was involved in a sweeping Mary’s attack, but ‘Belvo scrambled well and duly forced a knock-on.

The home side replied early on the resumption, O’Gara drawing a high tackle from Beckett before impressively registering three more points from the tee to leave the scoreboard showing 20-10.

Belvedere hooker Dowling tidied up an attacking lineout to press for a quick-fire try in response. Unfortunately he lacked support near the right corner, and his pass was pounced on by Mary’s flanker Watters.

The sheer pace of this Dublin derby was unrelenting, both teams probing with the boot either side of Mary’s managing to disrupt two lineouts. With 53 minutes on the clock, Mary’s replacement Leandro Ramirez just ran out of space as he attempted to score from a Dean kick.

Old Belvedere then applied the pressure, their backs and attack coach Bryan Mollen, sprung from the bench, claiming a loose ball before Beckett broke downfield. Ruairi Shields covered a kick but his attempted offload was gathered by Dowling who dotted down under the posts.

Morgan Meredith’s simple conversion had Quenton O’Neale’s side right on Mary’s tails at 20-17 down. A scrum penalty launched them forward, entering the final quarter, only for the excellent Jones to pinch another lineout.

The game was there for the taking, and resilient ‘Belvo looked more likely to score next. Andre Ryan retrieved his own kick through, breaching the Mary’s 22. Continuing to kick in Wilkinson’s absence, Meredith pulled a 66th-minute penalty wide.

Slick handling from Dean and the fast-breaking Fogarty lifted Mary’s at a key stage, inviting O’Sullivan to bring play back into ‘Belvo’s 22. Daniel Leane disrupted the subsequent lineout, leading to fellow replacement Richie Bergin rumbling towards the try-line.

Mary’s made the possession and territory count when former Munster player Goggin pulled the trigger, his deft pass putting O’Gara in behind the posts. The Bray man also converted for a hard-earned 10-point buffer (27-17) with eight minutes remaining.

Dean then provided the knockout punch, the visitors shifting lineout ball infield but Meredith watched on in horror as the Mary’s captain rushed up to intercept his pass and race home from just inside halfway. O’Gara converted the bonus point try for a 17-point winning margin.

It could have been more in the end, as ‘Belvo had to battle hard to avoid conceding a fifth score. Leinster Academy prop Andrew Sparrow and O’Gara took Mary’s within reach of the whitewash once more, before Leane was just held up beside the posts.

TIME LINE: 6 minutes – St. Mary’s College try: Rob Gilsenan – 5-0; conversion: Mick O’Gara – 7-0; 11 mins – St. Mary’s College penalty: Mick O’Gara – 10-0; 17 mins – Old Belvedere penalty: David Wilkinson – 10-3; 24 mins – St. Mary’s College try: Mick McCormack – 15-3; conversion: Mick O’Gara – 17-3; 29 mins – Old Belvedere try: Justin Leonard – 17-8; conversion: David Wilkinson – 17-10; Half-time – St. Mary’s College 17 Old Belvedere 10; 44 mins – St. Mary’s College penalty: Mick O’Gara – 20-10; 55 mins – Old Belvedere try: Calum Dowling – 20-15; conversion: Morgan Meredith – 20-17; 66 mins – Old Belvedere penalty: missed by Morgan Meredith – 20-17; 71 minutes – St. Mary’s College try: Mick O’Gara – 25-17; conversion: Mick O’Gara – 27-17; 74 mins – St. Mary’s College try: Conor Dean – 32-17; conversion: Mick O’Gara – 34-17; Full-time – St. Mary’s College 34 Old Belvedere 17

ST. MARY’S COLLEGE: Ruairi Shields; Mark Fogarty, Myles Carey, Mick O’Gara, Aaron O’Sullivan; Conor Dean (capt), Rob Gilsenan; Oisin Michel, Jack Nelson Murray, Mick McCormack, Greg Jones, Conor Pierce, Josh Gimblett, Ronan Watters, Dan Goggin.

Replacements: Richie Bergin, Oisin Kearney, Andrew Sparrow, Daniel Leane, Finn Burke, Leandro Ramirez.

OLD BELVEDERE: Morgan Meredith; Andre Ryan, Jayden Beckett, Justin Leonard, Joe White; David Wilkinson, Chris O’Connor; Hugo O’Malley, Calum Dowling (capt), Ryan McMahon, Fionn McWey, Eddie Rees, Paddy Dowling, Ronán O’Sullivan, Will McDonald.

Replacements: Luke McLaughlin, Adam Howard, Hugh Flood, George Methven, Saul Fitzpatrick, Bryan Mollen.

Referee: Stuart Douglas (IRFU)