Rugby All-Ireland League, Division One: Blacrock College - 17 Carlow - 24 The entertainment quotient at Stradbrook allowed spectators to turn a blind eye to some of the shortcomings of this clash - the errors, the fisticuffs, a sending off and some rank defending.
Instead the 300-odd crowd will have focused on a full-blooded contest and the honest endeavour of both teams.
Carlow produced some excellent rugby, inspired by livewire scrumhalf and player-coach Dan van Zyl and the sublime angles of running and assured distribution of Australian outhalf Brian Young. The grunt up front provided quality possession, second rows Rory Sheriff and Pat Holden peerless out of touch and number eight Andy Melville the game's most accomplished performer.
Melville's ability is based on footballing intelligence; he runs clever lines, carries ball powerfully and reads the opposition gambits as if he's stolen their playbook. Time and again he threw himself into man-and-ball tackles or shored up holes when Blackrock threatened to cut through.
Yet for all their quality, Carlow could have lost this game. They swept into the Blackrock 22 repeatedly in the second half only to cough up possession or fritter it away by conceding penalties.
They weren't helped by referee Séamus Flannery, whose penalty ratio was three to one in favour of the home side after the interval, at a time when Carlow had a man extra following the sending off of debutant Gareth Fitzgerald on 33 minutes.
The Blackrock prop was singled out following a discussion between the referee and his two touch judges for rucking near the head of Carlow centre Ian Dwyer, pinned at the bottom of the ruck.
Touch judge Paul Clinch had the best view of the shoeing, which looked more careless than malicious. Nevertheless it provoked a six-man brawl that culminated in Sheriff being sent to the sin bin. Curiously, after both players trudged from the pitch, Blackrock were awarded the penalty.
Carlow led 17-14 at that point through a brace of tries from the excellent Maurice Logue, both converted by Young, who also added a penalty.
Blackrock hooker Aidan McSweeney and captain Rory Rogers both crossed the Carlow line, Conor Kilroy kicking the conversions.
The visitors' third try, on 38 minutes - when it was 14-a-side - through centre Michael Swetman, converted by Young, edged them to a 24-14 interval lead.
To their credit this young Blackrock side showed guts in the second half and, while frustrated by Carlow's slowing down of ruck ball, clung on tenaciously.
Kilroy tagged on a penalty to make it 24-17 but that's as close as the home side got.
Carlow need a little more mobility up front to complement their back line and become genuine play-off contenders while for Blackrock, an injection of beef up front would allow them the quick ruck ball they crave to play that expansive game.
SCORING SEQUENCE: 1 min: McSweeney try, Kilroy conversion, 7-0; 3: Young penalty, 7-3; 18: Logue try, Young conversion, 7-10; 21: Logue try, Young conversion, 7-17; 25: Rogers try, Kilroy conversion, 14-17; 38: Swetman try, Young conversion, 14-24. Half-time: 14-24. 49: Kilroy penalty, 17-24.
BLACKROCK COLLEGE: C Kilroy; K Copeland, J Hearty, N Turner, P Drew; E Farrell, R Molloy; M Cuffe, A McSweeney, G Fitzgerald, D Gannon, J Fitzgerald, R Rogers (capt), D Dillon, B Baxter. Replacements: D Leahy for Baxter 34 mins; P Graham for Turner 45 mins; D O'Sullivan for Farrell 58-61 mins; M Legge for Fitzgerald 58 mins; D Gavin for Cuffe 73 mins.
CARLOW: G Jacob; M Logue, I Dwyer, M Swetman, B Murphy; B Young, D van Zyl; K Ashmore, Kevin Corrigan, Keith Corrigan, Rory Sheriff (capt), P Holden, D Mallon, A Melville, D Hyland. Replacements: L O'Byrne for Keith Corrigan 52 mins; B Curran for Jacob 65 mins; W Whitten for Mallon 72 mins.
Yellow cards: R Sheriff (Carlow) 33-43 mins; D van Zyl (Carlow) 63-73 mins.
Red card: G Fitzgerald (Blackrock).
Referee: S Flannery (Munster).
