Blackrock became the latest side to find Tom Clifford Park an unwelcoming venue as they went down 26-16 to Young Munster in Division One of the AIB league on Saturday.

In spite of this latest setback, Blackrock shouldn't be too disheartened as they prepare to battle against relegation. Their forwards, with Hubie Kos outstanding in the lineouts, gave as good as they got in a game that benefitted from the excellent refereeing of England's Steve Lander.

Young Munster won primarily because they took their scoring chances. Out-half Stephen Tuohy kicked 16 points including a clinching drop goal in the dying minutes, while Peter Clohessy shrugged off the effects of a nasty finger injury to cap a fine all-round display with a try.

The other Young Munster try came on the stroke of half-time when Tuohy's conversion had the home side 17-3 ahead at the break.

To their credit, Blackrock remained committed and out-half Owen Cobbe gave an outstanding performance and indeed scored all of their 16 points, before retiring injured not long before the end.

Scoring Sequence: 7 mins: O Cobbe penalty, 0-3; 12: S Tuohy penalty, 3-3; 17: P Clohessy try, Tuohy conversion, 10-3; 40: M O'Halloran try, Tuohy conversion, 17-3 half-time. 42: Cobbe penalty, 17-6; 49: Tuohy penalty, 206; 53: Cobbe penalty, 20-9; 67: Tuohy penalty, 23-9; 70: Cobbe try and conversion, 23-16; 84: Tuohy drop goal, 26-16.

Young Munster: P Boland; N McNamara, M Lynch, N O'Meara, D Walsh; S Tuohy, D Tobin; D Clohessy, M Hayes, P Clohessy, D O'Meara, M O'Halloran, B Buckley, A Herlihy, G Earls.

Blackrock: T Keating; M Jackson, B Carey, D Quinlan, A Guinan; O Cobbe, A Boyd; P Flavin, S Byrne, M Cuffe, H Kos, L Cullen, J Ryan, D Moore, T Goldfinch.

Referee: S Lander (England).