A 10 phase effort as time ran out saw Irish center Oren Smith score under the posts and Ed Gardner convert to lift the Irish (5-2 and 24 points) over Balmy Beach (3-3-1 and 15 pts) in a crucial Marshall Division game on Saturday.

With many alumni, including former coach and player Fraser Cattell in attendance, Smith's try capped torrid Irish pressure on the Beach line in the final minutes of a very tight match.

The game had see-sawed back and forth, with Beach scoring a try and penalty in the second half to take a 17-12 lead until the green comeback.

Seb Orsi and George Azar scored in the first half for the Irish; Andrew Yearwood put the Beach in front with 20 minutes to play; then the dramatic finish took place, as the Irish scored right in front of the supporters grouped in the end zone, following 10 recycles of the ball sideline to sideline.  Following the game current players and coaches mingled with the many past players in a scene that "could have brought a tear to a glass eye," as one ex-player put it.

"After a performance at Oakville that could have charitably been described as hideous, we showed incredible courage and will to bounce back and finish as we did," said coach Mark Winokur, "I am mystified as to why we can be so inconsistent-but that was as strong a finish as I have ever seen, and shows what we are capable of if we stay disciplined."

After a win that will be remembered for years, the Irish face the daunting task of having to get up to play Harlequins at Brantford on Wednesday night-yet that game represents another crucial fixture if we are to remain in the league hunt.

The development side were not as fortunate, but not from lack of effort, losing 20-8 to the first place Beach.  Both the Irish Development and Beach 2nd squads could worry many teams in the A Division, and it showed right from the start of this match.  

"The team played very well throughout the game - we just have to learn to capitalize on our scoring chances inside their 22,"  said Dev. Coach Neil Maxwell, "that was really the difference today, whenever we made a mistake, they jumped all over it." 

The Timberwolves (Irish 3rds) played some very entertaining rugby and snuck in a 44-40 win in a wild match to start the day.