The shrill whistle of referee Alan Lewis provided the abiding memory of last night's AIB League Division One clash at Lansdowne Road. He sent six players to the sin bin, awarded over 30 penalties and was easily the most influential figure on display. His excessive interference can no doubted be defended but for players and spectators alike the match was an abomination, fragmented and at times descending into pure farce.
Lansdowne deserved to win, primarily through the excellence of their pack in which everyone contributed and that includes those who came off the bench to fill in while others served `bin time.' Previously unbeaten, St Mary's will rue their indiscipline and also a plethora of try scoring opportunities that went a-begging.
The first half constituted a morass of errors, punctuated by the whistle of Lewis who seemed to take exception to virtually everything St Mary's offered. He was particularly unhappy with their scrummaging, penalising them frequently. Lewis eventually lost patience with both teams and sent Peter Coyle of St Mary's and Angus McKeen of Lansdowne to the sin bin for 10 minutes.
This necessitated the removal of flankers Paul Higgins (St Mary's) and Stephen Rooney (Lansdowne) for the duration of the 10-minute penalty so that props Noel Foxe and Peter McQuillan could be introduced in accordance with the laws.
Lansdowne deserved their 15-3 interval advantage if only because they made fewer errors (line-outs aside) and conceded fewer penalties. Out-half Barry Everitt kicked beautifully, posting four from five attempts and also adding a drop goal. The home side's ability to offload in the tackle and the mobility of their pack stretched St Mary's on several occasions.
The visitors for their part contributed to their own predicament with shoddy handling and a touch of anxiety in possession. The composed handling of recent performances was noticeably absent, save once when the back-line clicked and Kelvin McNamee almost got in at the corner, John McWeeney having made the original break.
St Mary's were quick to earn Lewis's wrath again after the break. Admittedly it was a little difficult to reconcile the continual flow of penalties in one direction.
Everitt had an opportunity to increase Lansdowne's advantage six minutes after the interval but struck a post with his 30-metre penalty. Mark McHugh missed a relatively straight forward penalty and 60 seconds later missed again from longer range. Victor Costello was once again impressive as a ball carrier but lacked support and was increasingly well marshalled by Stephen Rooney, Liam Toland and Aidan McCullen.
Lewis's facility for the whistle never abated nor his penchant for filling up the sin bin. Lansdowne scrum-half David O'Mahony and St Mary's duo Malcolm O'Kelly and Victor Costello each suffered a 10-minute censure. The game had degenerated into farce. Everitt kicked a fifth penalty to put Lansdowne 18-3 in front, a reward for the work ethic of an excellent pack.
The ultimate insult for St Mary's came 10 minutes from time when still down to 14 men they created a four-on-two overlap but McNamee's poor pass never gave Alan Conboy the run-in he should have had. St Mary's had two gilt-edged opportunities to score tries in the closing minutes but dreadful handling scuppered those opportunities.
Ultimately, replacement scrum-half Alan Sullivan grabbed a consolation try which McHugh converted to make it 18-10. McHugh's second penalty ensured that St Mary's grabbed a valuable point from the evening.
Reggie Corrigan, Lansdowne's international prop, was carried off with what looked like a serious ankle injury.
Scoring sequence: 2 mins: Everitt penalty, 3-0; 6: McHugh penalty, 3-3; 9: Everitt penalty, 6-3; 28: Everitt penalty, 9-3; 31: Everitt drop goal, 12-3; 40: Everitt penalty, 15-3; half-time: 15-3; 68: Everitt penalty, 18-3; 77: Sullivan try, McHugh conversion, 18-10; 81: McHugh poenalty, 18-13.
Lansdowne: G Hamilton; M Dillon, A O'Neill, R Niland, R Dolan; B Everitt, D O'Mahony; R Corrigan, O Ennis, A McKeen; C McEntee, G Quinn; S Rooney, A McCullen, L Toland. Replacements: W Clancy for Dillon (4 mins), E Bohan for Corrigan (35 mins), S McEntee for Toland (80 mins).
St Mary's College: K McNamee; A Conboy, M McHugh, G Gannon, J McWeeney; F Campion, J Kilbride; P Coyle, P Smyth, D Clare; I Bloomer, M O'Kelly; T Brennan, V Costello, P Higgins. Replacements: A Sullivan for Kilbride (52 mins), G Halpin for Gannon (76 mins).
Sin binned: A McKeen, D O'Mahony, O Ennis (all Lansdowne), P Coyle, M O'Kelly, V Costello (St Mary's).
Referee: A Lewis (Leinster).
