GALWEGIANS claimed the honours in this relegation clash at College Park yesterday to leave Dublin University fighting for their Division One lives. The home side had started the day two places off the bottom and two points behind their opponents and while the bonus point and the extra game in hand may in the end save them, Trinity didn't have too much to feel happy about yesterday.

They had pretty much thrown everything at their opponents and with Galwegians missing several of their contracted players, this was as good an opportunity as any to make up ground on their opponents . . . in out-half Johnny Watt they certainly had plenty of attacking options.

The pacy half-back proved very quick over the first 10 yards and certainly you worried for Galwegians every time he had possession. Up front, second row Marc Warburton had an excellent game apart from dominating the line-out, Warburton's play in the loose was excellent also.

Nonetheless, Trinity were playing catch-up from an early stage and trailed to an Ambrose Conboy try which came in the second minute.

Brendan Bartley converted but Trinity were soon on the offensive and a series of penalties from the hands gave them a firm foothold inside the Galwegians' 22.

Their pressure was rewarded after seven minutes when Watt converted a penalty. Trinity then went in front on 18 minutes when second row Martin Garvey scored off second phase after Trinity captain Matt Crockett had been held up short.

Galwegians then struck for their second try on 25 minutes when Peter Durkin took the long route to score in the corner. Bartley converted and Trinity then conceded another score shortly after the half hour. Conboy had done the spade work down the right hand side and his clever offload saw Peter Phelan go over on the short side.

Bartley maintained his 100 per cent record with his third conversion of the game but three minutes later Watt made a break from inside the Galwegians half.

Centre Barry Kinsella took hold of possession and his strength carried him over into the corner. That left them trailing Galwegians by 19-13 at the interval but Trinity went back in front on 50 minutes with Watt creating the score once more.

His pace had left Galwegians gasping for air and he then gave the perfect pass to Brian Hastings who scored in the corner. Watt then added the conversion. Galwegians came back strong after that with wing forward Derek Boyd making some penetrating runs through the middle.

His exertions, however, were well checked by an alert Trinity defence who then extended their lead when Watt landed his second penalty on 54 minutes.

But disaster then struck just short of the hour when Conboy powered his way over on the left. Trinity, however, really put it up to their opponents in the last 10 minutes with Garvey held up just short of the line by two Galwegians' defenders in the closing stages.

DUBLIN UNIVERSITY D Crotty; P Howard, B Kinsella, B Hastings, S Hanratty; J Watt, J Burns; N Conlon, M Crockett, P Doran-Jones; M Garvey, M Warburton; P McFeely, D Hayes, H Hogan. Subs D O'Reilly for McFeely 56 mins, K O'Neill for Doran-Jones 60 mins.

GALWEGIANS B Bartley; H Murphy, B Murphy, K Finane, J Culkin; P Durkin, D O'Brien; J Bourke, R Davies, L Scahill; A Gallagher, A Conboy; D Boyd, L Casserly.Subs P Phelan for B Murphy 15 mins.

Referee D Wilkinson (URS)