’Stones do it the hard way down in Cork
Late try from Callan and Kealy’s kicking prowess vital
GREYSTONES made hard work of their visit to Cork at the weekend when they travelled to the home of Munster Rugby in the City to face Sundays Well at Irish Independent Park and faced a determined and resilient home side before eventually running out victors by 23 points to 15.
As part of a €3m investment over the last three years that has seen the construction of a 3,500 seater stand, a new 4G pitch was laid over the summer and not for the first time this season this Greystones side struggled to adapt to the unique challenges presented by the artificial surface and for long periods of the game failed to find any rhythm.
In a cagey opening period the sides exchanged penalties before the home side struck for the opening try with a well worked effort finished in the corner.
In difficult conditions for the kickers the conversion attempt drifted across the posts but Greystones found themselves chasing the game.
Captain Andrew Kealy converted a second penalty to close the gap to 8–6 after 20 minutes before Andy Roberts finished a period of forward pressure to score a typical scrum halves try from close range.
The ever dependable Kealy added the conversion to leave Greystones looking and feeling a lot more comfortable with a fivepoint half-time lead.
The home side failed to read the script however and while Greystones have been strong in the set piece all season, Sundays Well upped the ante and started to dominate the scrum.
They also played the conditions better bringing their backline into the game, a position in which Greystones are still missing the pace and power of first choice wings in Paudie Geoghegan and Ferdia Kenny and threatened to turn the league table on its head when they powered over between the posts from close range for a converted try midway through the second half, retaking the lead 15 -13.
On an afternoon when the home side failed to convert two penalty opportunities and a first half conversion, albeit from the touchline, in contrast the Greystones Captain once again showed the value of a prolific kicker to a side converting his third penalty to eke out a onepoint advantage before Con Callan settled the visiting nerves seven minutes from time with his side’s second try and and Kealy’s fifth successful kick of the afternoon to deny the hosts the consolation of a losing bonus point.
Stones will be back on familiar terrain next Saturday when they host Belfast Harlequins at Dr Hickey Park sitting comfortable in second place, 12 points ahead of Rainey Old Boys in third and 9 points behind Barnhall at the head of the table.
Kick off for that game against Belfast Harlequins is 2.30 p.m.