DOLPHIN are the latest team to take up the running at the top of the table following their thrilling 38-29 victory over Sunday's Well at Musgrave Park yesterday.
Ten points down twice in the opening half they showed their mettle by coming back to dominate an exciting second half. Denis O'Dowd finally sealed the win with a brilliant try a minute from time.
Although the Well's slick back division caused Dolphin a fair share of problems, it was Dolphin's power up front that eventually swung the game their way. Conor Mahony, the Dolphin outhalf, contributed 25 points.
Bective returned to winning ways with a very comfortable 20-3 win over Monkstown at Donnybrook. It took the home side time to find their rhythm. They led 5-3 at half time thanks to a try by right wing Tony Gillen, but six minutes into the second half a pass from scrum half Des Jackson took a bounce that deceived the Monkstown defence, but not Gillen, who pounced for his second try.
A third try by Craig Whelan five minutes later, following good work by Jackson and flanker Trevor Brennan, sealed victory.
Skerries followed up their win over Bective last time out with a 24-13 win over UCC in Cork. Out half John O'Mahony got the students off to a good start with two penalties, but tries from second row Tony Giles and scrum half Johnny McCabe helped the visitors to a 14-6 lead at half time.
Although Jimmy Dempsey increased Skerries' lead with a penalty, UCC's Peter Stringer put the students right back in the hunt with a try.
But with just four points between the teams and the students pressing, an interception by Vincent O'Sullivan set up centre Gareth Early for the match winning score.
After a terrible start, Malone are beginning to show signs of a resurgence. The Belfast side were good value for their 27-20 win over DLSP at Kilternan and could have won by more.
Centre Maurice Field, perhaps sensing good news was on the way, had a fine try under the posts on 15 minutes that put his team 10 points in front. A try by player/ coach Phil Werahiko gave DLSP some hope, but another penalty by Gareth Fry and a try by Scott Carroll gave the visitors an 18-10 lead at half time.
In a lacklustre second half two more penalties from Fry and an excellent effort from Neil Doak proved sufficient to see Malone home.
Greystones was another team that needed to recover from a poor start and they did just that in Derry, where a fine second half performance earned them a 24-17 win.
Although the visitors trailed by 10 points at the end of the first quarter they were able to capitalise on their dominance of the lineouts. Tries from David Barratt and flanker Michael Hanley got them back on terms, and although Derry went in leading 17-10 thanks to a great try by Ian Orr, it was to prove their last score.
A third try by Conor O'Sullivan, again from a lineout, and three penalties from Richie Murphy earned the Wicklow side two valuable points.
Highfield recorded their first win of the season with a 29-10 win over NIFC at Model Farm Road. The home side trailed by four points at half time but in the second half it was all one way traffic.
. Wasps went back to the top of the Courage League with a sparkling 41-18 victory at Bristol on Saturday. Six tries underlined their superiority with a brace being bagged by Va'inga Tuigamala in his last match before returning to rugby league club Wigan.
