BUCCANEERS held out for a deserved win over Limerick side Garryowen at a pleasant Dubarry Park, Athlone yesterday.

A wonderful first half team try from the midlanders proved crucial as Buccanneers recent good form continued.

Almost twenty minutes into the game a series of clever passes between scrum half Mark Bruce and Kiwi winger Simon Rolleston made space for captain Conor Hartigan to dive over in the corner.

Tom Cregan missed the conversion attempt before ex-Buccs player Conor Kilroy landed a penalty to put just two points between the teams at the break.

Buccs continued to dominate the play but were reduced to 14 men when Kieran O'Gorman was sinbinned. Kilroy managed to reduce the gap back to just two points in this period with another penalty after Cregan had pushed the home side further ahead with his third attempt from a placed ball.

The Athlone based side defended brilliantly in this period with Connacht players William Wallace and Michael Diffley particularly to the fore.

Buccaneers finished much the stronger side and took the points with a strong last quarter performance.

BUCCANEERS Tom Cregan, Niall O'Hara, Alex Hayman, Willima Wallace, Simon Rolleston, Aidan Wynne, Mark Bruce;

Michael Dif"ey, Garreth Halligan, Killian O'Neill, David Kelly, David McGowan, Colin Finnerty, Conor Hartigan, Adrian Hanley Subs R Jackson for Rolleston, 74 mins, A Hughes for Kelly, K O'Gorman for Finnerty both 79 mins GARRYOWEN Conor Kilroy, Adam O'Loughlin, Conan Doyle, Frederico Quaglia, Kieran Hartigan, Eoghan Hickey, Gerry Hurley; Rory Brosnan, Damien Varley, John Staunton (Eugene McGovern 48), Mark Melbourne, Ed Mackey (Donal Sheehan 56), Paul Neville, David Sherry (Anthony Kavanagh 48), Peter Malone Subs E McGovern for Staunton, A Kavanagh for Sherry both 48 mins, D Sheehan for Mackey, 56 mins.

Referee David Wilkinson (Ulster)