Blackrock win dismal match

So much for inspiring times in Irish rugby. A full 50 minutes without a score and when one finally arrived, Stradbrook Road wasn't exactly shaking with excitement.

While second row Robert Casey and winger Brian Carey cumulated enough to give Blackrock their first victory since early December, Young Munster had their travelling supporters bewildered by the apparent lack of imagination and conviction.

Blackrock, to their credit, made much better use of their less powerful forwards and their defence appeared the more secure. Ryan Wheeler and Rory Rogers were also showing well in the line-out.

"It was far from a good performance," said Blackrock captain Shane Byrne, "but at least it puts us back in winning form." After a barren first half, it was to almost everyone's relief that Blackrock finally ended the scoring void 10 minutes after the restart. Nicky Assaf started the move from the 20-yard scrum which took the ball within feet of the line. Casey picked it up from the ruck and with a quick turn carried it over for the try. Carey converted and Blackrock had what seemed like a gigantic 7-0 lead.

Munster showed some determination to find a response but the limitations of the half-backs proved to be their downfall. Aidan O'Halloran was brought in to improve things in the centre and they gradually clawed their way into Blackrock territory but in the end a single O'Halloran penalty in the 64th minute was all they could muster.

That was all Blackrock were in the mood to give away. Neil O'Donovan restored the attacking strategy with some half-hearted drop goal attempts and then five minutes from the end Carey landed a second long range penalty that was enough to give Blackrock a convincing victory.

Scoring Sequence: 50 mins: R Casey try, B Carey conversion 7-0; 64 mins: A O'Halloran penalty 7-3; 75 mins: B Carey penalty 10-3.

Blackrock: T Keating, B Carey, M Roche, D Quinlan, D Johnson, N O'Donovan, N Assaf, T Stapleton, S Byrne, P Jordan, R Casey, H Kos, R Wheeler, R Rogers, Leo Cullen.

Young Munster: P Boland, D O'Dowd, N O'Meara, S McCahill, F Cusack, M Lynch, D Tobin, D Clohessy, M Hayes, M Fitzgerald, P O'Connell, D O'Meara, B Buckley, G Earls, M Webber. Replacements: A O'Halloran for Cusack (60 mins), M O'Halloran for for O'Connell (69 mins).

Referee: A Watson (URS).