In a weekend where five of the eight matches ended with two points or less between the teams, Lansdowne have finally thrown their hat into the title race at the expense of Blackrock's reputation. This match was not one of the five.
Blackrock's second-half collapse to their visitors puts Lansdowne in third position, trailing just Clontarf at the top and Ballymena.
The statistics alone hardly need explanation in the Stradbrook game as Lansdowne poured on the grief in the second half and landed 37 points without reply. They began the match as though it were decidedly going to be their game and were 10 points up in as many minutes. Blackrock came back to10-6 despite their pack being hopelessly outplayed. In the end, the tries were well spread around, although outhalf Mathew Leek's collection of a try, four penalties and five conversions was a healthy haul to bring back to Lansdowne Road.
The win knocks Blackrock's confidence and their league placing to seventh. They are 10 points behind Clontarf, but not out of the running for a top-four place if things can be patched up after that mauling.
Clontarf made their visit to UL Bohemians more of an effort than they might have liked, finally winning by just one point, 18-19. The Dublin visitors found themselves eight points down at half-time after an indifferent first 40 minutes, even though Bohemians' contracted scrumhalf Dominic Malone found himself in the sin bin on 15 minutes. But with tries from Niall O'Brien and Darragh O'Shea and a reinvigorated pack, Clontarf set to work in the way they have been doing throughout the first half of the season.
Colman Finn touched down for Bohemians and Ian Costello converted for the home side to trail just 15-19 going into the last 10 minutes, before Costello again pulled Bohemians back to within a point. Then a kickable penalty in the dying minutes went astray, allowing Clontarf to escape with their fine record intact.
At Belfield, UCD rose to their critics' bleatings and handed Cork Constitution a 36-20 defeat. Having struggled to contain teams while flourishing in attack, the students got their balance right in Dublin with two tries coming from Ross Jackson and a haul of points from Eoghan Hickey, who scored a drop goal and four conversions.
Cork Con did stage a revival midway through the second half, but that's when Jackson hit in this entertaining game. Neither team is safe, although UCD's fifth from the bottom position is more comforting than Con's, one rung below them.
Belfast Harlequins travelled to Dooradoyle hopeful but fell to a last-minute strike. In a match noted for the safe return of Irish flanker David Wallace, it was team-mate Killian Keane who finally nicked the points for Garryowen. With Harlequins leading by a point, Keane drop-kicked a goal for 12-10 and the match.
At the bottom, Terenure's grim season continued with a 20-41 defeat to Galwegians, who travelled with an impressive bunch of Connacht players fresh from their march on Lansdowne Road. Although Terenure led early in the second half, a late run of tries from left wing John Cleary, prop Dan McFarlane and scrumhalf Alex Page took Galwegians to a comfortable win.
Carlow were equally displeased with their 13-12 defeat by Dungannon. Andy Melville snatched his second try midway through the second half after Mark Armstrong had kicked Dungannon a conversion and two penalties to add to a try from Jan Cunningham. But Carlow failed to conjure a final score and shipped their sixth defeat of the season.
At Moher Road, Buccaneers, despite a couple of soft scores, sent St Mary's home disappointed. Although Connacht's Mark McHugh kicked a penalty late in the game to take the Dublin team within reach, Buccaneers held firm to secure sixth place on the table.
