Blackrock ... 26 Dungannon ... 12: Emmet Farrell knows better than to be presumptuous and his reticence to converse about the future is perfectly understandable for a player scarred by his recent past. John O'Sullivan at Stradbrook
On Saturday the former Ireland under-21 outhalf formally announced his engagement to his long-standing girlfriend Doone in the pages of the Irish Times, played his first competitive AIL League match in almost 12 months and produced an astute and composed display to lead Blackrock to victory, a performance recognised by his man-of-the-match accolade.
Modest and self-effacing he was keen to deflect the credit, content at simply playing after two years of surgery and rehabilitation.
This time last season in just the second match of the campaign against Lansdowne, Farrell tore the cruciate ligaments in his right knee for a second time, enduring a second cruciate reconstruction and still not yet 25 years of age.
He worked hard in the gym, did all that was asked of him and on Saturday reaped the rewards for his dedication. It is the first step to what he hopes will become a permanent resumption of a representative career.
"I was very nervous before the game but I had got a clean bill of health from the surgeon who said that the surgery this time would make the knee even stronger than before.
"I am still facing about two months of hard fitness work and am about only 70 per cent of where I would like my fitness to be. I would love to just get a full season of AIL rugby under my belt and being a little selfish maybe a chance to be in contention when the quarter-finals of the Heineken European Cup comes around and the squads can be changed."
Farrell's influence in Saturday's victory extends beyond the pitch as he doubles up as backs' coach at Stradbrook - Philip Doyle has returned to coach the forwards - thereby allowing Kevin West more latitude to work on patterns and the meshing of backs and forwards into a game plan. The benefits of the new working arrangements were discernible in a Blackrock team denied the services of Benny Willis, Niall Treston and David Quinlan.
Still the home side were fortunate to win this match. Dungannon monopolised possession for long periods but their errors, like buses, tended to come in threes and undermined at times excellent approach work. The northern side mauled the ball prodigiously but a slavish addiction to keeping the ball tight, their centres running cutbacks, meant that the back three of Jan Cunningham, Ryan Constable and Johnny Davis were too often kept on the periphery.
The gamble of playing Kieron Campbell at outhalf didn't work, save for a few second-half cameos while the absence of a reliable place-kicker until the introduction of Mark Armstrong hampered their efforts. Dungannon's work-ethic deserved more, particularly that of Keith Walker, superb in the lineout, Steve Roberts and the excellent Seamus Mallon.
Farrell may have been awarded the man-of-the-match kudos, something he later laughed off as favouritism, but openside flanker Tom O'Donoghue was arguably a more deserving claimant. His tackle count was enormous, his ability to slow down or snaffle ball on the deck,, all the more laudable when faced with the equally industrious former Irish underage international Andrew Hughes of Dungannon.
Blackrock also benefited from the broadsword-rapier combination of Michael Jackson and Gary Brown in the centre and the dancing feet of Brian Carey - another well versed with the surgeon's knife - at full back. The pack, collectively, worked hard, their athleticism allowing them to turn over ball in broken play, while right wing Johnny Davis grabbed a brace of tries.
Essentially, though, the match came down to the simple premise that the team that takes its chances, wins. Blackrock, despite being under intense pressure for the first half, scored three tries playing against the wind, one of which was an intercept, another coming from a cross-kick and none improved upon.
Dungannon's suicidal handling affliction continued after the interval and though they grabbed a brace of their own, it could and should have been more. They are a better side than this result suggested but will need to be far more precise, producing greater breadth in their patterns.
Blackrock have won their opening match every year in the league since its inception; sustaining that impetus is the challenge.
SCORING SEQUENCE
9 mins: J Davis try 5-0
36 mins: Carey try 10-0
39 mins: Farrell try 15-0
Half-time: Blackrock 15, Dungannon 0
47 mins: Farrell pen 18-0
51 mins: J Davis try 23-0
55 mins: Bradley try, Armstrong con 23-7
60 mins: Farquhar try 23-12
72 mins: Carey pen 26-12
BLACKROCK: B Carey; J Davis, G Brown, M Jackson, P Drew; E Farrell, D Popplewell; A McSweeney (capt), G McEvoy, M Cuffe; M Gilbride, J Fitzgerald; R Rogers, M Carroll, T O'Donoghue. Replacements: S Tanner for O'Donoghue (34-37 mins); S Tanner for Cuffe (60 mins); G Van der Vyer for McEvoy (65 mins); C Kilroy for Farrell (72 mins).
Dungannon: R Constable; J Cunningham, S Mallon, N Suiter, J Davis; K Campbell, J Turkington; R Mackey, N Brady, G Leslie; T Barker, K Walker; S Roberts, R Staffold, A Hughes. Replacements: M Farquhar for Leslie (45 mins); M Haslett for Staffold (47 mins); M Bradley for David (49 mins); M Armstrong for Suiter (52 mins).
Yellow card: M Cuffe (Blackrock) 27-37 mins.
Referee: S McDowell (Ulster).
