One of those proverbial games of two halves, the first drearily unambitious, the second a comparatively uninhibited, end-to-end affair. Ultimately, Garryowen deserved their win, which pushes them a point above St Mary's in sixth place and just three points off the top four. Yet again though, St Mary's supporters will wonder why their talented backs were only unleashed when the game was virtually up.
In Jeremy Staunton Garryowen had the game's match-winner, the gifted 20year-old lacing his personal haul of 20 points with a hat-trick of drop goals, and from three attempts at that. Cruelly though Staunton limped off prematurely and was taken to hospital with what club officials described as a "serious looking" ankle injury.
Staunton also ensured Garryowen played an altogether cuter territorial game, while the lighter Garryowen pack resourcefully made the absolute most of their line-out, somehow survived the scrums and generally looked the hungrier side despite being bullied unmercifully at times by Victor Costello.
Templeville Road, overlooked by the sun-drenched Dublin mountains, has rarely looked better but for 40 minutes the rugby threatened to ruin a lovely evening. From the outset both teams' gambits were for the out-halves to pop balls to target runners and it was fully 32 minutes before either team went wide. Having smoothly rumbled off Malcolm O'Kelly's first line-out take St Mary's were awarded a penalty close in but opted for a three-pointer. A seven-pointer would have been within their capabilities and would have laid down their marker. At the next line-out, inside their own 22, they drove Garryowen back effortlessly again.
So both teams quickly settled into percentage games. With Staunton cleverly kicking to the corners and possessing a bigger boot than Eddie Hekenui, Garryowen did it far better, although it assuredly helped their cause that Brennan's ribs gave way after 17 minutes following some muscular plays. John O'Sullivan and Kevin O'Riordan (denied by Peter Smyth's tackle) came within whiskers of tries prior to penalties by Staunton and after McHugh had levelled again Staunton deftly stepped on to his left foot for his first drop goal in earning Garryowen a 9-6 interval lead.
However, when Staunton's second-half kick-off went out on the full, Hekenui attacked the gain line from the ensuing scrum ball on half-way, brushed through two tackles and then sweetly stepped inside Dominic Crotty. The try, converted by McHugh, galvanised everybody and Garryowen's equally impressive retort wasn't long in coming.
Neville somehow made the hard yards off a retreating scrum (when his front-row might have been penalised for splintering) through Hekenui and from the recycle Killian Keane took a superb line on to Staunton's skip pass inside halfway before veering back outside Darragh Hughes for a fine try.
Staunton converted and turned the screw with a towering 45-metre drop goal and a close-range penalty after Colin Varley and Neville had supported Steve Mackay's footrush upfield. Although McHugh nibbled into the lead with a couple of penalties, Staunton landed another drop goal.
But with Staunton down injured, Hekenui charged down a Keane drop goal and Mary's at last explored the full width of the pitch when recycling off Hickie's run on the right touchline. Alan Conboy, whose introduction had made a big difference, exploded on to a skip pass by Costello and drew Crotty to put John McWeeney away from 40 metres out. Crucially though, a hand trip by the covering Kevin O'Riordan prevented McWeeney from rounding the posts, McHugh missing both the conversion and a 50-metre penalty attempt. St Mary's gamely threw it around from deep but as is so often the case in these circumstances, it was too little and too late.
Scoring sequence - 6 mins: McHugh pen 3-0; 18 mins: Staunton pen 3-3; 29 mins: Staunton pen 3-6; 31 mins: Staunton pen 6-6; 40 mins: Staunton drop goal 6-9; 41 mins: Hekenui try, McHugh con 13-9; 52 mins: Keane try, Staunton con 13-16; 59 mins: Staunton drop goal 13-19; 63 mins: Staunton pen 13-22; 66 mins: McHugh pen 16-22; 69 mins: McHugh pen 19-22; 71 mins: Staunton drop goal 19-25; 77 mins: McWeeney try 24-25.
ST MARY'S COLLEGE: D Hughes; D Hickie, P McKenna, M McHugh, J McWeeney; E Hekenui, E McCormack; P Tucker, P Smyth, D Clare, E Keane, M O'Kelly, T Brennan, V Costello (capt), S Jennings. Replacements - D Griffin for Brennan (17 mins), P Coyle for Tucker (57 mins), A Conboy for Hughes (57 mins).
GARRYOWEN: D Crotty; S Mackay, K Keane, C Foley, K O'Riordan; Jeremy Staunton, T Tierney; J Giltenane, P Humphries, R Laffan, E Kelly, F Costelloe, C Varley, J O'Sullivan, P Neville. Replacements - R leahy for Kelly (55 mins), John Staunton for Giltenane (75 mins), K Hartigan for Jeremy Staunton (78 mins).
Referee: A Lewis (IRFU)
