ST MARY'S kept their title ambitions very much alive when they prevailed over Blackrock in the mud and rain at Stradbrook on Saturday. Mary's are only two points behind Garryowen but they have played one game less than the league leaders.

Outhalf Gerry Harvey, a replacement for the injured Alan McGowan, missed a good opportunity to open the home side's account when he pulled a penalty badly wide as early as the second minute. It was a precursor of things to come for the ex-Greystones player who didn't have one of his happiest days from the placed ball.

Up front Blackrock were enjoying better fortune. After Mary's knocked on at a lineout close to their own line, Blackrock settled down for a series of scrums. The Mary's pack was struggling to hold Blackrock and referee Dave McHugh had no hesitation in awarding a penalty try on 15 minutes after Mary's Conor McGuinness and Kevin Potts dived in on the ball.

Harvey added the points and the home side were seven points clear. Mary's though were starting to play with more cohesion and they narrowed the gap with an excellent penalty from the right hand touch line from outhalf Fergal Campion on 22 minutes.

Ten minutes later came the best move of the match. Arthur McEvoy kept possession on the left hand side with a reverse pass under his legs to full back Gary Halpin. The ball was moved right and a long pass from centre Vincent Cunningham out to Dennis Hickie put the pacey winger in space and he raced around his man 40 metres out to score in the right corner. That moment of flair was the difference between the teams.

Blackrock were awarded a penalty for offside in the 35th minute but the decision was reversed after Dean Oswald was penalised at the ruck. Perhaps it wouldn't have mattered anyway.

On 38 minutes Harvey was off-target with a penalty after Mary's forwards had been penalised for trying to kill the ball. Three minutes later he let Mary's off the hook again when he missed with an easier kick from the 22 and the visitors turned over still leading by a point.

Mary's, now playing with wind and rain advantage, were content to boot the ball downfield and with the home side struggling to get out of their half the tactic appeared to be paying dividends. Campion consolidated his side's lead with a well struck penalty on 58 minutes and Mary's appeared home if not dry.

A certain air of inevitability had pervaded that third quarter accompanied by a slowing of the pace. Perhaps Mary's felt they had done enough and could afford to pull up, but Blackrock gave notice that the phoney war was well and fl over with 15 minutes to go as their forwards battered a path towards the Mary's line out on the left.

Blackrock were awarded eight successive scrums near the corner but could not find a way past a gritty Mary's defence ably led by Potts and Kevin Devlin. With seven minutes to go they forced Blackrock into touch and lifted the siege after a fine lineout take by Malcom O'Kelly.

With three minutes to go they were under the cosh again, this time in the right corner, but not for the first time Oswald was the villain of the piece.A touch judge cited the Biackrock captain for stamping and Mary's supporters sighed in relief. A late try remained a possibility in the broken play of injury time and only some timely tackles by Hickie prevented Biackrock scoring at the death.

It was not pretty rugby - a hardy streaker only raised a muted cheer from the sodden spectators in the closing stages - but it was a victory to savour for Mary's, with the promise perhaps of better to come.