Old Belvedere have beaten Cork Constitution at Donnybrook to lift the Ulster Bank League Division 1 trophy for the first time.
Cork Con led 9-7 at half-time through three Gerry Hurley penalties. David Mongan scored a first-half try for Belvedere which Andy Dunne converted.
Both sides scored unconverted tries through John Kennedy (Belvedere) and Sean Scanlon (Cork), before a Conal Keane penalty and a second Kennedy try nudged Belvedere 20-14 ahead. Hurley kicked a further penalty, but Belvo held on for victory.
Mongan’s try came after eight minutes; while Hurley’s three first half penalties for Cork Con came in the 11th, 20th and 36th minutes.
Belvedere’s opening try came after good work in midfield by Ben Woods and John Kennedy created space for full back Daniel Riordan to break into the Cork half, before releasing Mongan to score in the corner.
Hurley’s penalties pushed Cork Con in front at the half-time break, as Belvedere tried to cope with the sin-binning of prop Stewart Maguire.
Belvedere took first blood in the second half when Kennedy forced his way over the try-line with the help of Leo Auva'a. Belvedere could have stretched their lead with a penalty but Dunne missed the chance.
Cork Con were back in front when they worked an overlap off a ruck in the Belvedere 22-metre area and Scott Deasy passed outside to send Scanlon over in the corner. But, Hurley failed with the conversion.
Shortly after Keane missed a drop goal attempt but landed a penalty to put Belvo 15-14 in front.
In the 69th minute Kennedy crossed in the corner for his second try following a superb run from the ten-metre line and offload from Woods. Keane’s conversion came back off the post.
Hurley kicked another penalty as Belvedere infringed off the restart to narrow the scores to 20-17 with eight minutes remaining.
In the 77th minute Hurley could have levelled the match with a fifth penalty, but the scrum-half pulled his kick to the left.
Belvedere hung on to possession for much of the last few minutes and in the final moments Simon Zebo was caught offside at a ruck and Belvo were awarded another penalty as Zebo was sin-binned. Keane kicked the penalty to clinch victory.
