After an error-riddled match at Kilternan, De La Salle Palmerston deservedly came out on top thanks to a 17-point haul by hooker Mark Kavanagh. Victory relieved the south Dublin side's relegation worries just as it increased the concerns of Belfast Harlequins, who now sit just one place off the bottom of the AIL first division.
Kavanagh had only been called in as a last-minute replacement for Simon O'Donnell, who failed a fitness test.
The visitors did, however, take the early lead. A nice move finished with Richie Weir interchanging passes with his scrumhalf Andy Matchett before lunging over the line. Former international winger Niall Malone failed with the conversion and the 'Quins' kicking duties fell to outhalf Paul Hancock.
The lead was reduced five minutes later as Kavanagh kicked the first of his five penalty goals. Shane Stephens twice spurned possible try opportunities for the home side, electing both times to pass to Romanian team-mate Mihai Vioreanu when going for the line himself would probably have been a more successful option.
Kavanagh did put DLSP in the lead with a 34th minute penalty. Once this lead was established with a first half, injury time penalty there would be no way back for the Harlequins.
The four minutes that referee Leo Mayne added onto the first half was due to an accidental incident that resulted in the stretchering off of Palmerston prop Kent Ashmore in the 36th minute.
Ashmore, who was playing splendidly, broke his leg and it now looks as if he will be unable to play for up to 12 months. The Northerners did reduce DLSP's lead to just one point within two minutes of the restart with a well taken penalty strike from Hancock.
Before DLSP virtually secured victory with an Andy Wood converted pushover try on 62 minutes Kavanagh added six more points with two penalties. Harlequins, however, were not to be denied their bonus point as they reduced the lead to seven points four minutes before the end.
The converted try came when Niall Malone outran the DLSP defence to pick up a kicked throughball and got over the goal line for the final score of the match.
In a disappointing display of rugby, all in all, the better team won in what could be considered a must-win situation for both teams as to their chances of first division survival.
Scoring sequence: 2 minutes: Weir try, 0-5; 7 minutes: Kavanagh penalty, 3-5; 34 minutes: Kavanagh penalty, 6-5; 40 minutes: Kavanagh penalty, 9-5; 41 minutes: Hancock penalty 9-8; 46 minutes: Kavanagh penalty: 12-8; 53 minutes: Kavanagh penalty, 15-8; 62 minutes: A Wood try, Kavanagh conversion, 22-8; 76 minutes: Malone try, Hancock conversion, 22-15.
DLS PALMERSTON: E Devitt; P Costelloe, S Stephens, D McCabe, M Vioreanu; M Cross, B Hogan (capt); K Ashmore, M Kavanagh, D Masters, K Wheelock, P McDonnell, D O'Brien, B Wood, A Wood. Replacements: K Condren for Ashmore (55 mins), S Broughton for Cross (51 mins), S O'Donnell for Condren (70 mins). Yellow card: B Wood (25-35).
BELFAST HARLEQUINS: R Morrow; J Lowe, N Malone, S Dick, A Park; P Hancock, A Matchett; S Best, R Weir, D Scott, R Rabie, G Jewhurst, C Galway, C McCarey, G O'Loan. Replacements: N Best for Galway (56 mins), M Cousins for Dick (65 mins), R Collins for Lowe (65 mins), K Keown for Weir (75 mins), M Humphries for Scott (75 mins).
Referee: L Mayne (Munster).
