Rugby Union: Corcoran checks slide: London Irish have something to cheer about at last

Wasps. . . . . . 21

London Irish. . .22

Resigned to the inevitable? Not a bit of it, London Irish stunning everyone at Sudbury with a vital fourth win at the end of a bleak winter that may just provide the lift to avoid the drop. Smiles all round and even Wasps were not backward in coming forward and wishing their visitors bon voyage.

Which is the way of rugby, particularly after such a vibrant match had convinced many that they had seen their best league contest of the season. And it was largely thanks to the Irish. 'We decided before the kick-off that we were going to go for it and run everything,' Mike Corcoran said.

When the wing took off from 40 yards out after eight minutes for a glorious try it was obvious that he had got the message. He also has a thumping right boot and his conversion and five penalties from seven attempts left the Irish gleefully clutching two priceless points.

Corcoran also came away with the groceries, a basket of goodies from Fortnum and Masons which should have made the man of the match blush. Corcoran works as a buyer for Sainsbury and he can expect to get his leg pulled by work colleagues over this little shopping expedition out of office hours.

The Irish, meanwhile, can only be thankful of his presence. Corcoran had a calling for football and was good enough to play for Chelsea and Crystal Palace reserves. On Saturday, though, his striker's skills prevented an eighth successive defeat and the Exiles are happy that Corcoran has no thoughts of seeking another transfer.

'I shall definitely be staying put whether we stay up or go down,' he said. Which is more than can be said of some of his team-mates, who could be missing Simon Geoghegan and Rory Jenkins on a more permanent basis than they were here. Geoghegan, the Ireland wing, may have torn up Wasps registration forms but has instead signed for Bath, while Jenkins, the England A flanker, is a prospective Harlequin.

The good news is the pair could still have second thoughts if all they are looking for is First Division rugby, although the Irish are not counting their chickens. Gloucester and Orrell sit four points above them, though the Irish have a match in hand over the West Countrymen, who lost to Bristol.

But while they have to play the doomed Newcastle Gosforth, whom they have already beaten, at home, there are some real snags lurking in the pipeline - Bristol away and Leicester, too, not to mention the visit of Bath to Sunbury. Which would stretch the luck of even the Irish.

Wasps: Tries Greenstock, Maddock; Conversion Maddock; Drop goal Davies; Penalties Maddock 2. London Irish: Try Corcoran; Conversion Corcoran; Penalties Corcoran 5.

Wasps: A Maddock; M Adeyemi, N Greenstock, G Childs, L Scrase; H Davies, S Bates; G Holmes, P Delaney, J Probyn, R Kinsey, S O'Leary, M Greenwood, D Ryan (capt), P Scrivener.

London Irish: J Staples; R Hennessey, R Henderson, D Curtis, M Corcoran; S Cathcart, R Saunders; M McCormack, R Kellam, G Halpin, R Sussum, C Hall, J Sharkey, P Collins (capt), C Bird.

Referee: A Spreadbury (Bristol).