Creggs RFC 2nds played University of Galway on Saturday evening in their final league game before the competition moves into the play-off stages. With both UG and Creggs adrift at the foot of the 1B league table the outcome of this game determined which team would get home advantage in the relegation play-off in February. Creggs fielded one of their strongest squads of the season but it was College who opened the scoring with a well-executed try by left winger Rex Aghabueze after 10 minutes of play. Following the restart, a Brian Cleary penalty reduced the deficit to 5-3 as both teams struggled for supremacy in a tough, physical contest. College edged further ahead with a try by fullback Fiachra O’Griofa which scrumhalf Daniel O’Connor converted from under the posts. Creggs responded with a fine try by Mark Dowd after he linked with Luke Gregory before slicing through the College defence. Luke Gregory’s well-struck conversion left Creggs trailing by 12-10 at halftime. Creggs went in front for the first time in the 47th minute when centre Jack Fleming rounded off a slick handling move for a fine try before Xavier Tavai crossed for another try for the home team which Gregory converted midway through the second half. He followed that by landing a difficult penalty kick to put Creggs ahead by 13 points with time running out for College. However the determined students regrouped to score a converted try following a bout of sustained pressure to reduce the deficit to 6 points heading into added time College attacked in waves in search of another try and despite some heroic defence they finally broke through for a try leaving an awkward conversion for Daniel O’Connor to win the match. His first attempt at the conversion drifted agonisingly wide but the referee deemed that Creggs had offended and ordered a retake and this time he made no mistake to secure a vital win for his team. Creggs will regret the dramatic finale which proved very costly but they will have a further opportunity to redress the balance when the sides meet again in Dangan in late February in the relegation play-off.