Late drama but St Mary's cling on to open title defence with narrow victory
St Mary's College began the defence of their Energia All‑Ireland League crown with a hard‑fought 19-18 win over Lansdowne, a result that offered relief to players and supporters alike after a tense finish at the Aviva Stadium's back pitch.
The hosts registered tries from Ruairi Shields, Richie Bergin and Aaron O'Sullivan — the latter an Ireland Sevens international — while Lansdowne mounted a late charge that might have overturned the result but for a missed conversion.
- Final score: St Mary's 19, Lansdowne 18
- St Mary's tries: Shields, Bergin, O'Sullivan
- Decisive moment: James Tarrant's missed conversion for Lansdowne in the closing minutes
St Mary's took an early lead when Shields crossed inside the first ten minutes after a probing break by Ronan Watters opened space. Lansdowne hit back through a Mark McGlynn try in the 32nd minute to keep the game finely balanced at half‑time, with Lansdowne ahead 10-7 after a first‑half sin‑binning for Leandro Ramirez for a deliberate knock‑on.
After the break, St Mary's worked their way back into the contest. Bergin’s score came late in the match, driven over directly from a maul, and Aaron O'Sullivan added a crucial touchdown in the final quarter to extend the lead and preserve the advantage established earlier in the second half.
"It was a nervy finish but we'll take the win as we begin the defence of the title," said one supporter nearby, reflecting the relief among Mary’s followers after the final whistle.
Lansdowne threatened to snatch victory in the 78th minute when debutant McGlynn finished in the corner, bringing the score within a single kick. The visitors opted for the difficult touchline effort; James Tarrant's conversion struck the near post and bounced wide, and St Mary's held on to claim the two points.
Context in Division 1A and signs for the season ahead
The match offered several talking points for the new league campaign. Lansdowne were led in this fixture by Rhys Ruddock in what was described as his first league game in charge; they capitalised on the sin‑bin period to lead at the interval. For St Mary's, the victory keeps momentum from last season's success and will be welcomed by those who travel from the college and local community to support the team.
Early results elsewhere underlined the competitiveness of Division 1A: Old Belvedere produced an emphatic 47-14 victory over Young Munster, while Clontarf were comfortable winners at home against Old Wesley, and UCD recovered from a first‑half deficit to defeat Ballynahinch 39-24. These outcomes suggest St Mary's will face stiff opposition throughout the season and that each match may hinge on fine margins, as seen in Saturday's close finish.
| Team | Score | Notable contributors |
|---|---|---|
| St Mary's College | 19 | Shields, Bergin, O'Sullivan |
| Lansdowne | 18 | McGlynn, Tarrant (conversion attempt) |
For the St Mary's community — students, alumni and local supporters — the result will be reassuring. The defence of a title always brings added scrutiny and expectation; a first‑up win, even a narrow one, can steady nerves and provide a platform to build upon.
Attention will now turn to how the squad copes with the demands of the league over coming weeks and whether the structure and personnel who delivered last season's success can sustain that form against the quality shown across the division.
While the win was by the slenderest of margins, it leaves the champions top of their campaign for the moment and offers a reminder that in this league the outcome is often decided in the final plays rather than the early headlines.
