Students prove to be the real masters

Reducing it to a simple analogy, yesterday's AIB All-Ireland League Division One match on the back pitch at Lansdowne Road was a contest between the UCD backs and the Lansdowne pack. In that respect alone the visitors triumphed on a 4-2 try count and also on the scoreboard, where their greater cohesiveness and flair was manifested in the comfortable winning margin.

It would be wrong to dismiss the work of the UCD eight, in which Niall Breslin, Tom Carter and especially number eight Peter Shanley produced excellent performances. Their work ethic could not be faulted, nor their set-piece play but despite these qualities they still struggled to contain a Lansdowne pack that rumbled forward remorselessly the whole afternoon.

Unfortunately for the home side they demonstrated precious little potency behind the scrum, being pedestrian and predictable for the most part, despite occasional cameos from the strong running Brian Doherty at fullback.

Their inability to develop the inroads made by the Lansdowne pack made their play rather one-dimensional and easier to defend against.

Still the home pack, in which Gabriel Fulcher, Graham Quinn, Chris Pratt and hooker Anthony Ronan were all conspicuous in every facet of play, made a decent fist of keeping Lansdowne in the match. Prop Colm McMahon and Ronan grabbed the two tries, while outhalf Alan McGowan was faultless with the placed ball, contributing 13 points.

Lansdowne drove their lineouts well and with UCD fanning out, they made serious territorial inroads through the centre and on the fringes of rucks. It was a ploy that might have used to even greater effect.

The Students, in contrast, were lively and decisive behind the scrum, from their superb scrumhalf Brian O'Riordan to Dermot O'Sullivan at fullback.

O'Riordan's constant sniping from the base of ruck, maul and scrum embarrassed the Lansdowne backrow on several occasions and he vied with Shanley for the right to be regarded as his team's most effective performer.

UCD had pace and inventiveness in their attacks and looked to increase the pace of the game at every opportunity; their reward was a fine victory and a bonus point to boot for scoring four tries.

O'Riordan stamped his authority on the game after nine minutes. From a scrum 30 metres from the Lansdowne line, he broke sharply on the blindside, dummied a pass to Stuart McCarron and then covered the distance untouched. Eoghan Hickey converted and the outhalf was to have a very productive afternoon in that respect.

Hickey added a penalty five minutes before the interval to leave the visitors leading 10-6 - McGowan had posted a brace for Lansdowne. UCD's left wing, Paddy Hickey Dwyer, grabbed his side's second try just after the interval, racing outside Dolan before chipping Doherty and regathering for a try. Hickey converted, as he would again, this time from the touchline when O'Sullivan raced into the Lansdowne 22, stood up Dolan before rounding him on the outside.

McGowan had kicked a penalty in between the two UCD tries and when hooker Ronan barged his way over on 58 minutes - McGowan converted - the deficit was back to eight points, at 24-16. It was the Students, though, who continued to profit from their ability behind the scrum and this time it was centre Shane Moore who cut a swathe through the Lansdowne shirts inside their own 22 to cross for a fine individual try that Hickey converted.

UCD's facility for carelessly tossing away the initiative was apparent from the kick-off and within five minutes Lansdowne had clawed back a further seven points when McMahon forced his way over from close range following a lineout catch and drive. McGowan converted and with 10 minutes remaining the home supporters waited expectantly but it was UCD who finished the stronger; Hickey's 25-metre penalty easing their passage through the closing exchanges.

Scoring sequence: 6 mins - McGowan penalty, 3-0; 9 - O'Riordan try, Hickey con, 3-7; 35 - Hickey pen, 3-10; 42 - McGowan pen, 6-10. Half-time - 6-10. 43 - Hickey Dwyer try, Hickey con, 6-17; 47 - McGowan pen, 9-17; 53 - O'Sullivan try, Hickey con 9-24; 58 - Ronan try, McGowan con, 16-24; 63 - Moore try, Hickey con, 16-31; 68 - McMahon try, McGowan con, 23-31; 70 - Hickey pen, 23-34.

LANSDOWNE: B Doherty; R Dolan, B Geraghty, D O'Mahony, F Baynes; A McGowan, S Whelan; C McMahon, A Ronan, E Bohan; G Quinn, S O'Connor; S Rooney (capt), G Molloy, C Pratt. Replacements: G Fulcher for Molloy (3 mins); O Ennis for Ronan (61); J Lynn for McMahon (71); K Becker for Dolan (74).

UCD: D O'Sullivan; S McCarron, M Colling, S Moore (capt), P Hickey Dwyer; E Hickey, B O'Riordan; M Moynagh. D Blaney, J Montgomery; P Callanan, N Breslin; A Carroll, P Shanley, T Carter. Replacement: N Coughlan for Carroll half-time.

Referee: G Doyle (Ulster).