St Mary’s battle their way to Division Six title

ST MARY’S College RFC J4s produced a truly tenacious performance to beat Old Belvedere 19-14 in the Metro League Division Six Final at Templeville Road on Saturday.

This decider marked the third meeting between the two teams in as many weeks, with Mary’s having lost the previous two.

Yet in a thrilling match, that included six minutes of injury time, the Saints prevailed to clinch the title.

Mary’s drew first blood when Dave Daly slotted over a penalty and the gap was enlarged to ten points after Richard Pyner weaved his way through the Belvedere cover for the game’s first try.

The visitors, however, hit back when they capitalised on their opponents’ failure to clear their lines effectively, intercepting the ball and running in to make it 10-7.

Some brilliant carrying by David Browne and Taylor Berliant helped carve out a penalty for Mary’s which Daly duly despatched, but Belvedere overtook into a one-point lead when they broke in at the corner.

Another penalty by Daly edged Mary’s back into the driving seat by two points-, a lead that was stretched to five when some excellent mauling brought about a penalty that was well converted.

It was a case of bodies being put on the line as the Templeville Road side weathered the late heavy onslaught of the visitors that brought them to within inches of the line only for the door to be well and truly shut.

On another note St Mary’s J5’s Metro League Division 11 Final against Clontarf in Templeville Road has been confirmed for Saturday, April 22 at 3pm.