Second row Brian Moylett was the toast of the tight five union on the Aviva Stadium’s back pitch last Friday, as his two-try salvo helped Lansdowne to see off a determined Terenure College challenge.
Making his first appearance of the campaign following injury, within the space of two second half minutes Brian Moylett managed to equal his Ulster Bank League try tally for last season.
Loosehead prop Peter Dooley also made his seasonal debut following Leinster duty, and he and tighthead Ian Prendiville locked out a powerful scrum that had the visitors' eight under pressure for most of the evening.
The match started off as a low key affair, both sides probing to test each other out. The first promising Lansdowne attack in the eighth minute saw centre Tom Farrell unable to control the final pass and a good chance went astray. A Terenure kick deep into the Lansdowne half was cleared before a Prendiville turnover set up a penalty just inside the Lansdowne half. Touch was found in the Terenure 22, but the attacking lineout was lost.
The Lansdowne forwards were slowly getting in amongst the visitors' pack, however, and solid defence by the back row, with number 8 Ross Deacon and Joe O'Brien prominent, and the always secure home back-line prevented Terenure from making any headway.
The Lansdowne backs, who played very effectively as a unit throughout, were beginning to make inroads, however, and a Farrell surge and offload to flanker Tadhg Beirne led to a penalty after 20 minutes play. While this effort was missed, captain Scott Deasy made no mistake moments later with another penalty from 42 metres to establish a 3-0 lead.
A great turnover by hungry winger Foster Horan saw Lansdowne back on the attack, and Terenure were penalised for not releasing after 28 minutes. Centre Tom Daly, who had the better of his opposite number Harrison Brewer all evening, struck a great long distance penalty from just inside the opposition's half which sailed well into the car park for a 6-0 scoreline.
Daly and Horan again made ground with penetrating runs, and the visitors' scrum was penalised in the 34th minute as their front row was popped by the home surge. Deasy was again foot-sure and struck a fine effort over from 37 metres for 9-0.
This was to be the last score of the half, as a brilliant effort just before the break saw lively right winger Mark Roche gather a Deasy cross-field kick and feed full-back Eamonn Mills, who carried the ball deep into the Terenure 22. The subsequent attacking lineout was lost, however, when Terenure turned the home side over and a great chance went a-begging.
James Blaney's charges had dug deep with some impressive last-ditch defending before interval. Centre Stephen O'Neill showed brilliant pace to make a try-saving tackle, and Brewer was well-placed to intercept and clear. Flanker James O'Neill was also a key figure, burrowing through a Lansdowne maul on the 'Nure line to force a turnover.
Into the second period, another great scrum from Lansdowne in the 44th minute saw a further penalty awarded and out-half Deasy once more did the necessary to make it 12-0.
Terenure did not lie down, and to their credit raised their game and began to exert some pressure of their own. They were rewarded with a series of penalties which they put into the corner and eventually replacement Niall Lalor was mauled over wide out to reduce the margin to 12-5 after 55 minutes.
Lansdowne responded with some excellent running from centres Farrell and Daly, while full-back Mills showed his pace and excellent footwork with a great cut. This put pressure on the visitors' defence, and 'Nure, who had to cope with a series of injuries, conceded a five-metre scrum. Surprisingly, the Lansdowne pack chose to break with the ball, rather than drive the set piece.
Their efforts were rewarded, however, when, after several pick and goes, that man Moylett plunged over the line for a hard-earned try in the 67th minute.
The conversion was missed, but Mike Ruddock's men roared back and scored another try within two minutes. Roche launched a terrific counter attack off a loose defensive kick by 'Nure and made significant headway into the Terenure 22. Roche split the defence before linking up with Daly, who drew the last man to send the supporting Moylett over for a well-worked try which was converted by Daly for 24-5.
Lansdowne rung the changes, with Munster hooker James Rael coming on to make his club debut and Matthew D'Arcy, Tom Kiersey, Jack Barry and Eoin Walsh all making their entrances.
Terenure were not finished, though, and launched a series of attacks which led to Moylett spending ten minutes in the sin-bin. Almost immediately, the visitors capitalised as they drove over from a lineout maul and then went in search of a third try and a losing bonus point.
Despite several half-breaks down the left hand side, 'Nure were unable to get over the line, with referee Gary Conway awarding Lansdowne a relieving penalty on their try-line to all but finish the game.
Referee: Gary Conway (IRFU)