Several DLSP players collapsed to the Templeville Road sod at the final whistle on Saturday, desolated at a turn of events that denied them a desperately needed five points in their relegation fight. Leading 33-28 going into injury-time, albeit down to 14 players with flanker Sean McCarthy in the sin bin, all they needed to do was keep possession and run down the clock.
That they failed can be attributed to St Mary's storming finish that saw number eight Victor Costello swat aside three tacklers one minute into injury-time to cross for a try that levelled matters at 33-33.
Mark McHugh dispatched the moderately difficult conversion with aplomb to earn Mary's five points and prolong their peripheral hopes of a play-off place. In some ways the home side scarcely deserved the reprieve. They did dominate the opening 25 minutes, racking up an 18-3 lead, but in the process they managed to spurn at least four try-scoring chances.
As Mary's hit the snooze button, DSLP scored 27 unanswered points during 40 minutes of splendid rugby, including four tries, two from right wing Brian Hogan, with prop Dan Masters and flanker McCarthy adding the others. Outhalf Simon Broughton chipped in a couple of conversions and a penalty.
It was Mary's who looked shell shocked at that juncture, trailing 30-18. McHugh kick-started the revival with a penalty on 62 minutes and six minutes later Conor McPhillips raced onto Kieran Lewis' precise chip to touch down. McHugh added the extra points.
It was appropriate that it was Lewis who unlocked the DLSP defence as this was a feat he accomplished with graceful regularity in a fine individual display. When DLSP flanker McCarthy was binned for killing the ball at a ruck, it seemed his side's tenuous advantage would be nullified in the closing exchanges.
However, it was the visitors that struck next, a Mary's attack breaking down on the DLSP 22. Eddie Devitt kicked the ball 50 metres and when a home player was penalised for not releasing inside his own 22, Broughton landed the 22-metre penalty with the help of a post.
Tantalised by victory, DLSP were to have it ruthlessly snatched away by Costello's late tour de force. It was a fitting reward for a powerful display, albeit conspicuously hampered by injury. Mark O'Shaughnessy, Gavin Hickie and McHugh were the pick of the home side, especially when they rattled up 18 early points from tries by McKenna and Gareth Gannon: McHugh added eight points with the boot.
For DLSP there is little consolation save that they played some breathtaking rugby, particularly behind the scrum. Broughton may have been a little wobbly defensively but his distribution was intelligent.
He was ably supported by Devitt and Damien McCabe. DLSP could not have tried any harder, Mary's could not have been more fortuitous.
SCORING SEQUENCE. 3 mins: Broughton penalty 0-3; 10: McHugh penalty 3-3; 12: McKenna try 8-3; 18: McHugh penalty 11-3; 22: Gannon try, McHugh conversion 18-3; 24: Masters try, Broughton conversion 18-10; 35: Hogan try 18-15; 37: McCarthy try, Broughton conversion 18-22; 40: Broughton penalty 18-25; 61: Hogan try 18-30; 62: McHugh penalty 21-30; 69: McPhillips try, McHugh conversion 28-30; 78: Broughton penalty 28-33; 81: Costello try, McHugh conversion 35-33.
ST MARY'S COLLEGE: P McKenna; J Norton, K Lewis, G Gannon, J McWeeney; M McHugh, J Kilbride; P Coyle, G Hickie, D Clare; E Keane, D Griffin; M O'Shaughnessy, V Costello, K Jennings. Replacements: G Ingles for Gannon (46 mins); P Smyth for Jennings (50); C McPhillips for McKenna (68).
DLSP: E Devitt; B Hogan, J Critchley, D McCabe, M Vioreanu; S Broughton, M Cross; K Ashmore, A Davies, D Masters; P McDonnell, R Candlin; A Toher, J Deen, S McCarthy. Replacements: K Taite for Toher (21-30 temp); K Taite for Ashmore (70); E Moore for Masters (70); A Neary for Toher (75).
Referee: S McDowell (Ulster).
