DUBLIN UNIVERSITY gave themselves a final day chance of avoiding relegation by running through demoted County Carlow for five tries and gaining what could turn out to be a critical bonus point in this battle of the basement of Division One of the AIB League at College Park yesterday.

On the face of it, County Carlow offered the perfect opportunity for Trinity to edge closer to third-frombottom side Galwegians.

After all, their own demise had already been confirmed.

They had nothing but pride to occupy them.

Trinity out-half Johnny Watt's third-minute penalty was improved upon by number eight Martin Garvey's powerful drive from the tail of a five-metre line-out. Watt added the points from the conversion.

The standard of the play was a clear reflection of the lack of confidence that coursed through both sets of players and the constant breakdown for needless penalties and basic errors made it an unattractive and unspectacular sight for the small crowd.

Surprisingly, Carlow drew level on the 44th minute.

Greg Jacob slotted his third penalty attempt on the halfhour to reduce the leeway and he converted his own try to make a game of it.

This was the cue for Trinity to go into overdrive. Halfbacks Matt D'Arcy and Watt controlled the pace of the game. D'Arcy tested the fringe defence and Watt passed and kicked with conviction.

Scrum-half D'Arcy sniffed out a gap close to home, blindside Hugh Hogan burrowed over from a lineoutmaul, Watt danced to the whitewash and replacement Gregory Herrera plunged over to complete the fivetry win.

It will certainly give director of rugby Tony Smeeth the opportunity to engineer something of a shock for Cork Constitution at Temple Hill.

DUBLIN UNIVERSITY G Murphy; P Howard, B Hastings, T Burns, R Doherty; J Watt, M D'Arcy; K O'Neill, M Crockett, P Doran-Jones, D O'Reilly, M Warburton, H Hogan, M Garvey, R Condron Subs G Herrera for O'Reilly, D Rowe for O'Neill, 70 mins

COUNTY CARLOW R Barbour; M Buckley, C Moore, C Peavoy; G Jacob, R Jones; P Brennan, W Kerr, K Corrigan, D Carley, A Michalovich, D Cox (c), B Hurley, R Porter Subs S Hennessy for Hurley 49 mins; A Galavan for Kerr 66 mins; J Kavanagh for Jacob, R Whyte for Jones both 70 mins; W Kavanagh for Corrigan 73 mins Referee M Kilgore, IRFU