Hooker Conor O'Sullivan's match-winning late try caught the eye of everyone who watched Greystones snatch victory from Old Wesley two minutes from the end of the game at Dr Hickey Park on Saturday to remain unbeaten in Division Two.
The home side held a territorial advantage for most of the game, but Old Wesley's Colin Younger snatched his second try of the game nine minutes from the end. Wesley might then have thought the points were theirs until O'Sullivan's late try put paid to that. Greystones out-half Mark Wyse again made a telling contribution with four penalties and a conversion. He is now the leading kicker in the division. Coach Ciaran Fitzgerald's Wicklow side remain one of only three sides unbeaten after two weeks' play - points difference puts the other two, Buccaneers and Galwegians, ahead of Greystones in the table. At the other end of the scale, City of Derry's 30-7 defeat by Buccaneers and Galwegians' 22-15 win over DLSP ensure that both losing sides are firmly anchored to the bottom of the table.
It was Derry's first home game of the competition, but it did not appear to yield an advantage as the visitors ran in five tries. Buccaneers now have both the best offensive record, 72 points, and defensive record, 10 points, in the division.
Much of the good work came from the front eight, with loose head Jimmy Screene grabbing two tries, number eight Noel Mannion scoring his second in two games and open-side flanker Owen Brennan adding another to that of winger Robert Lee. Derry's only reply came with a consolation try from Liam McGettigan. Eugene Martin converted.
At Kilternan, Eric Elwood failed to calibrate his boot as his first two kicks went astray for Galwegians when they faced DLSP.
Galwegians managed to come together after the break. Trailing 3-0 at that stage, tries from Nigel Carolan, Pat Rowe and finally, scrum-half Diarmuid Reddan put matters in order.
Wanderers picked up their first points with a 19-16 win over Skerries at Lansdowne Road. Out-half Eric Olazabal kept Wanderers in the game with four penalties and a conversion. Jim Dempsey's poor kicking form for Skerries proved costly with one strike from three in the second period.
Malone also gathered their first points of the campaign with a 26-8 win over Monkstown. Former Irish replacement scrum-half Neil Doak kicked 11 points and added a try. Belfast neighbours Instonians also got off the mark with a 19-9 victory over Bective Rangers at Shane Park. New Zealand out-half Gray Cornelius kicked two penalties in the last seven minutes after the Dublin side failed to make second-half pressure count.
