Former Leinster and Ireland hooker Shane Byrne touched down as Blackrock College got the better of Dolphin at Stradbrook this afternoon.
Byrne grabbed his first try since his return to AIB League rugby to help 'Rock rise five places in the Division One table up to sixth.
After a third-minute try from home winger Niall Morris, three penalties from Dolphin number 10 Barry Keeshan shot them ahead.
But tries before the break from Byrne and centre John Quigley proved crucial for 'Rock, who led 19-9 at half-time.
The omens were not good for Dolphin when Morris finished off a simple overlap for 'Rock’s opener, wide out on the left.
But after full-back Fionn Carr had missed the difficult conversion, the visitors’ play came into play.
The carved out a first shot at goal for Keeshan which he duly took and the former Ireland Under-19 and Under-21 international banged over two more place-kicks after 11 and 20 minutes for a 9-5 lead.
A well-worked forward drive put Byrne over for his try, four minutes later, and despite losing young flanker Zach Farivarz to a yellow card, the home side defied the odds to create the opening for Quigley's try, eight minutes before the break.
Carr converted both tries to nudge 'Rock ten points ahead.
Dolphin also suffered a sin-binning – losing hooker Andrew O’Driscoll midway through the second half – and it did dent whatever comeback plans they had.
In the end, two smartly-struck penalties from the influential Carr, after 48 and 53 minutes, were the final scores of an entertaining game played in good spirits.
Scorers:
Blackrock College: Tries: Niall Morris, Shane Byrne, John Quigley; Cons: Fionn Carr 2; Pens: Fionn Carr 2
Dolphin: Pens: Barry Keeshan 3
