Greystones 23
Corinthians 40

Corinthians recorded a great win away to Greystones on Saturday scoring six tries to give them a boost for the rest of the season.

Greystones were first on the score board after three minutes when there right winger Ronan Carroll intercepted a loose pass and touchdown under the posts, and left winger Andrew Kealy added the extras to push the home side into an early seven point lead.

Corinthians asserted themselves after the early shock with prop Finlay Bealham creating a turnover and gaining ground into the oppositions’ 22. From a resulting ruck flanker Sean Gerrity powered over for a try near the posts, which out-half Mick O’Flynn converted to leave the sides level.

With the contest opening up and IRFU referee Peter Roche allowing the game to flow, both sides played hard and fast, and the home side edged in front with a Kealy penalty from out wide after Corinthians were pinged for failing to release.

However the visitors responded in style in the 35th minute, when the pack gained good ground and fed quick ball to scrum-half Mickey Murphy. He fed O’Flynn, who in turn found captain Finn Gormley on his shoulder, and he got in for the try, which O’Flynn converted.

Corinthians had another opportunity to score before the break but a great tackle by Greystones flanker Stuart Abbott saved the day for the home side to leave Corinthians 14-10 ahead at the break.

The visitors asserted themselves early in the second half, with their pack dominating the scrum, and it was from the set piece they scored their third try, a powerful drive allowing Murphy the time to pick out Eoin Daly, and he touched down out wide.

O’Flynn missed the difficult conversion, and a Kealy penalty kept the home side in touch to leave the score 19-13, but Corinthians went straight down the pitch and stretched their lead when a good block by centre James Buckley allowed Bealham to drive forward and score his side’s bonus point fourth try, with Gormley adding the additional two points for a 26-13 lead.

Kealy converted a penalty awarded to Greystones from the kick-off, but it was all Corinthians, with second rows Gary Ward and Aurelien Casanova especially to the fore.

For more, read this week's Connacht Sentinel.