Dubarry Park

GARRYOWEN built up an early lead and then showed superb defensive qualities to capture the AIB Cup in some style at Dubarry Park yesterday. The Limerick side never allowed Belfast Harlequins get into the game and they deservedly ran out winners after an entertaining decider.

Garryowen struck early, crossing the Harlequins line twice inside the opening 10 minutes to leave the Ulster side chasing the game from there on. London Irish-bound out-half Eoghan Hickey kept Harlequins on the back foot from the outset but it was a mistake by winger Johnny Lowe which presented his opposite number Ciaran O'Boyle with the opening try after four minutes.

A bigger blow followed five minutes later when Hickey's chip and chase caused consternation in the 'Quins defence and it was prop Eugene McGovern who seized the moment to grab possession and race over. His game concluded at the end of the opening quarter through injury, but Harlequins suffered an even bigger blow when they lost out-half Niall O'Connor to injury.

Hickey, having converted both tries, then added a 23rdminute penalty from 30 metres. Harlequins managed to stage a series of attacks but they struggled to keep ball in hand for any sustained periods. Hickey stretched Garryowen's lead on the stroke of half-time with a penalty from the right.

Facing into the wind with a healthy lead, it was inevitable Garryowen would just batten down the hatches and that is exactly what they did, allowing Harlequins to come at them in waves.

Garryowen defended superbly and with great discipline, not giving Harlequins a single kick at the posts.

Captain Paul Neville, centre Kevin Hartigan and winger Ciaran O'Boyle made massive tackle counts as Harlequins were kept at bay.

It required something special to crack them and it came 11 minutes from time when an inside pass in his own half by Keith Pyper put his full-back Mark Kettyle away and he carried deep into the 22 before offloading to Paul McKenzie for a fine try.

Pyper added the points to reduce the deficit but that was as near as Harlequins got to the new champions.

GARRYOWEN C Kilroy; A O'Loughlin, K Hartigan, C Doyle, Ciaran O'Boyle; E Hickey, G Hurley; R Brosnan, D Varley, E McGovern; M Melbourne, E Mackey; P Neville, A Kavanagh, P Malone Subs J Staunton for McGovern, 20 mins; D Sheehan for Mackey, 64 mins; Cillian O'Boyle for O'Loughlin, 64 mins; A Kingsley for Hickey, 78 mins; F Quaglia for Doyle, 78 mins BELFAST HARLEQUINS M Kettyle; J Lowe, P McKenzie, G McLoughlin; N O'Connor, P Marshal; N Conlon, S Philpott, J Andress; G Rourke, L Stevenson; A Ward, C Atkinson, A Gillepsie Subs R Blake-Knox for O'Connor, 21 mins; D Johnston for Gillepsie, 45 mins; S Ray for McLoughlin, 45 mins Referee A Rolland