Galwegians, new entrants to this season's Division One, had their first real workout ahead of next Saturday's All Ireland League opener when toppling Connacht rivals Buccaneers in the Heineken Connacht Senior Cup final at the Sportsground yesterday.
It was a comfortable victory in the end for the Galway side, whose superior back line broke Buccaneers' stranglehold on the cup, preventing the midlanders from achieving a three-in-a-row. And not surprisingly, it was Galwegians' outhalf Eric Elwood who made the difference with a manof-the-match performance.
What is more surprising, perhaps, is this victory gave Elwood - the province's number one outhalf for 12 years - his first Connacht Cup medal.
Buccaneers, who struggled to shine against junior side Connemara in the previous week's semifinal, failed to capitalise on the first-half wind advantage and were only three points up at half-time.
Having enjoyed most of the territorial possession, Buccaneers limited their scoring chances to three over-cooked chips ahead. It was a pity, for their new-look backline featuring the English trio of Greg Austin, Paul Whittaker and Matty Walker looked more than promising.
Indeed, Austin had looked certain of scoring under the posts after breaking through the Galwegians' midfield but was halted by a try-saving tackle from flanker Johnny O'Connor. Buccaneers also suffered late in the half when new recruit Kevin Barrett was sin-binned for a second lineout offence.
Galwegians, having survived the first-half pressure, turned the screw after the break with the help of some probing Elwood kicks.
When Buccaneers failed to control a lineout from yet another superb Elwood touch-finder, Galwegians' scrumhalf Bryan Shelbourne tidied up some scrappy play before centre Tim Allnutt handed-off full back Robbie Lee to score the game's first try after 55 mins.
Elwood missed the conversion but was on target five minutes later when substitute hooker, Paul Clery, got over from second phase ball for the second try.
Elwood then answered Eamonn Molloy's 67th-minute penalty with two of his own, stretching the lead to 18-6. On the stroke of full-time Elwood strode through from the 10-metre line after Galwegians had opened up a gap in midfield.
Scoring sequence - 36 mins: Molloy pen 0-3 (half-time); 55 mins: Allnutt try 5-3; 60 mins: Clery try, Elwood con 12-3; 67 mins: Molloy pen 12-6; 69 mins: Elwood pen 15-6; 78 mins: Elwood pen 186; 80 mins: Elwood try and con 25-6.
Galwegians: W Ruane; M Murphy, P Duignan, T Allnutt, D Rumney; E Elwood, B Shelbourne; A Kershaw, K Tierney, P Bracken, D Browne, J Casserly, B Gavin, J O'Connor, M Swift. Replacements: P Clery for Tierney (half-time), D McFarland for Kershaw (51 mins), J Barfoot for O'Connor (87 mins).
Buccaneers: R Lee; N O'Brien, G Austin, P Whittaker, M Walker; E Molloy, C Keane; J Screene, J McVeigh, M Cahill, C Rigney, K Barrett, I Dillon, E Brennan, C Brownlie. Replacements: T Robinson for Keane (56 mins), A Hanley for Dillon (56 mins), T Duignan for Screen (87 mins).
