In the pantheon of duds, this Division One league clash at Lansdowne Road merits a footnote all of its own. Quite simply the standard of fare was appalling, pockmarked with basic errors and for those unfortunate enough to have paid in, a complete waste of money.
The only snippet of quality was produced by Garryowen; outhalf Jeremy Staunton's well-judged short pass complimenting Killian Keane's intelligent angle of running to combine for the only try of the match. Keane posted the conversion and added a penalty on 12 minutes to put the visitors 10-0 ahead. Contented, the Limerick side sat back and awaited Lansdowne's riposte.
What they could not have counted upon in the wildest dreams was that Lansdowne would be utterly one dimensional, a slow plodding pick and drive philosophy entirely predictable and therefore reasonably easily defended. One deviation from the crash test dummy rugby came on 15 minutes when Ireland under-21 fullback Gordon D'Arcy manufactured a great break on the short side.
He raced into the 22 before offloading to Ray Niland; the big wing grounded just five metres from the Garryowen line. The visitors transgressed and Everitt was afforded a reasonably straightforward opportunity from 23 metres. He missed and an afternoon of sheer frustration for the home side was up and running.
Few rose above the malaise, notably David O'Mahony who expended bucket loads of perspiration, and D'Arcy, the latter capable of by passing tacklers but never really provided with the space to deliver upon his ability. For Garryowen it was a curious afternoon. They survived on a modicum of possession, carelessly kicking away ball on several occasions while never quite finding third gear.
David Wallace, who switched between number eight and openside flanker, was by some distance the game's most effective player: one great 50-metre surge almost yielding a try.
The Limerick side's bright start aside, the match quickly deteriorated into an error-fest the only other score in the opening 40 minutes, Everitt's 20-metre penalty from his third attempt at goal. There were great expectations for the second half but it was notable only for Lansdowne's growing desperation and Garryowen's Alamo tactics.
Neither coach can be happy but for Garryowen's John Hall there was the consolation of victory and the assurance that his team is more rounded in ability.
Scoring sequence: 7 mins: Keane try, Keane conversion 0-7; 12 mins: Keane penalty, 0-10; 36 mins: Everitt penalty, 3-10. Half-time 3-10. 68 mins: Everitt penalty, 6-10.
LANSDOWNE: G D'Arcy; R Niland, A O'Neill, G Hamilton, R Dolan; B Everitt, D O'Mahony (capt); R Corrigan, O Ennis, A McKeen; G Quinn, G Fulcher; S Rooney, C McEntee, L Toland. Replacements: E Bohan for Corrigan 44 mins; P McQuillan for McKeen 63 mins; S McEntee for Rooney 77 mins.
GARRYOWEN: D Crotty; P McDonagh, K Hartigan, K Keane, K O'Riordan; J Staunton, T Tierney; N Hartigan, P Humphreys, R Laffan; R Leahy, S Leahy (capt); P Hogan, D Wallace, A Bermingham. Replacements: J Giltenane for Laffan 68 mins; D Peters for R Leahy 69 mins; B O'Neill for Staunton 72 mins.
Referee: A Cole (Australia).
