A third win from their last four games hung in the balance as they turned around with a slender 14-13 lead thanks to tries from full back Brendan Bartley and open side flanker Henry Bourke.

But a third try from centre Mervyn Murphy on 67 minutes clinched the win for Bernie Kelly’s men, and sent Mary’s down to Division Two for the first time in AIL history.

Bartley combined well with right wing James Littleton to coast through some slack Mary’s marking for the opening score after eight minutes.

Out-half David Delaney converted and added the extras to Bourke’s try on 31 minutes, which sandwiched the sole Saints’ try from former Ireland U19 wing Bob Smyth after 23 minutes, converted by Barry Lynn.

Lynn’s first penalty of the afternoon, just before the half-hour, put the scores at 13-7 in the visitors’ favour but crucially Bourke powered his way over soon after to assume a 14-13 half-time lead for the Connacht men.

Galwegians midfield pairing of Balcombe and Ireland video analyst Mervyn Murphy were having the better of the exchanges in the loose and it was the veteran Murphy who found the left corner with 13 minutes remaining to edge the home side further in front.

Delaney clipped the conversion to the left and wide, and his opposite number Lynn was also wayward with two long range penalty efforts who could have drawn the visitors level.

Mary’s tenth defeat of the season means relegation, and the disappointment will be doubled with the stepping down of New Zealand coach Brent Pope as senior club coach.