ACE OUT-HALF EVAN Cusack stole the show at Tom Clifford Park as he guided Young Munster to a 19-7 Energia All-Ireland League win over Terenure College.
Cusack contributed 14 points from the tee, taking his early-season haul to 37 after three rounds, in a game that tight until the very end.
With a strong wind behind him, he opened the scoring from 35 metres out and then added a monster second penalty from inside his own half.
Terenure were living off scraps in the first quarter and had a player in the sin bin when a try from Munsters winger Shay McCarthy was ruled out for a forward pass from Cusack.
With Jordan Coghlan and James Connolly impressing, the visitors improved but failed to capitalise on two yellows in quick succession for the Cookies. Colm Skehan was binned for cynical play and Patrick Campbell for a deliberate knock-on.
A 6-0 lead at half-time became 12-0 by the 62nd minute, as Cusack pinged over two more penalties.
Terenure were handed a lifeline when Young Munster were again reduced to 14 and after solid pressure, centre Peter Sylvester barrelled his way over the line for Jake Swaine to convert.
However, in-form winger Conor Hayes claimed a late clinching try for the Cookies. Big carries from captain Alan Kennedy, Dan Walsh and Harry Fleming opened the door for Hayes to stretch out for his third score of the league campaign.
Garryowen still sit top of the Division 1A table after surging to their third straight bonus-point victory. They ran out 26-13 winners over a Jack Ringrose-led UCD at Dooradoyle.
Two tries each from Bryan Fitzgerald and Sean Rennison did the damage for the Light Blues, although a spirited UCD edged 10-7 ahead for half-time thanks to winger David Heavey’s converted score.
A James Tarrant penalty saw the students retake the lead after Fitzgerald’s second well-taken try, but Garryowen’s big scrum-hungry pack – in which Munster flanker Jack Daly put in a big shift – finished much the stronger.
Replacement Rennison had the desired impact off the bench, putting his name to two pushover tries and young out-half Tony Butler supplied both conversions.
Cork Constitution’s title defence took another hit at Castle Avenue where Clontarf scored three second half tries in a deserved 31-24 triumph.
While Con end this first block of league fixtures with a third successive defeat, they did fight back for another losing bonus point thanks to a Sean French try and a penalty from captain Aidan Moynihan.
JJ O’Neill’s slick early effort put the visitors on course for a 13-12 half-time lead, with Moynihan kicking the other points. He had quite a kicking battle with Leinster’s David Hawkshaw who landed four penalties for ‘Tarf.
Clontarf lock Cormac Daly used all of his 18-stone frame to batter through Con’s close-quarter defence and secure the game’s opening try. Conor Kearns added the conversion, but a third penalty from Moynihan left it 19-16.
Andy Wood’s men had no breathing space until they grabbed two quick-fire tries past the hour mark. Influential full-back Kearns showed good strength to cross in the right corner, before Leinster Academy flanker Martin Moloney powered over for Kearns to convert.
Con chipped away at the sudden 31-16 deficit, powerful winger French finishing well out wide and Moynihan split the posts with a 75th minute penalty. However, just three weeks in and Con have 10 points to make up on the top four.
Elsewhere, Michael Silvester had a memorable debut for Lansdowne in their 31-15 bonus point success at UCC. The Leinster-capped winger scored two second half tries, including a fine breakaway effort from a quickly-taken penalty and a kick through.
Conan Dunne, Eamonn Mills and Adam Boland also touched down for Mark McHugh’s unbeaten side, while UCC, who included Munster Academy forwards Alex Kendellen and Scott Buckley, hit back with closing scores from eight Kendellen and full-back George Coomber.
Leinster’s Liam Turner was a ball of energy in Dublin University’s hard-earned 19-13 victory over Ballynahinch. His carrying and line-breaking midfield, combined with Luis Faria’s impressive footwork from full-back, helped the home side to prevail.
Centre Greg Hutley led ‘Hinch’s challenge with all 13 points, including a late try for a losing bonus point, but Trinity, who gave game-time to Leinster lock Jack Dunne on his return from an ankle injury, came good during the final 20 minutes.
A converted Faria effort had the students leading 7-6 before flying winger Marcus Kiely opened his account for his new club. Flanker Anthony Ryan sealed the result with a 78th-minute maul try.
ENERGIA MEN’S ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE RESULTS: Saturday, 16 October
DIVISION 1A:
CLONTARF 31 CORK CONSTITUTION 24, Castle Avenue
- Scorers: Clontarf: Tries: Cormac Daly, Conor Kearns, Martin Moloney; Cons: Conor Kearns 2; Pens: David Hawkshaw 4
- Cork Constitution: Tries: JJ O’Neill, Sean French; Con: Aidan Moynihan; Pens: Aidan Moynihan 4
- HT: Clontarf 12 Cork Constitution 10
CLONTARF: Conor Kearns; Seni Reilly Ashiru, Michael Courtney, Matt D’Arcy (capt), Jack Power; David Hawkshaw, Angus Lloyd; Darragh Bolger, Dylan Donnellan, Vakh Abdaladze, Cormac Daly, Brian Deeny, Martin Moloney, Max Kearney, Tony Ryan.
Replacements: Barry Gray, Ben Griffin, Fionn Gilbert, Andrew Feeney, Aitzol Arenzana-King, Adrian D’Arcy.
CORK CONSTITUTION: Jack Crowley; Billy Crowley, JJ O’Neill, Niall Kenneally, Sean French; Aidan Moynihan (capt), Duncan Williams; Liam O’Connor, Jack Dinneen, Dylan Murphy, Conor Kindregan, Cian Barry, John Forde, Ross O’Neill, David Hyland.
Replacements: Gordon Good, Brendan Quinlan, Paddy Casey, Michael Casey, Gerry Hurley, Bruce Matthews.
DUBLIN UNIVERSITY 19 BALLYNAHINCH 13, College Park
- Scorers: Dublin University: Tries: Luis Faria, Marcus Kiely, Anthony Ryan; Cons: Mick O’Kennedy 2
- Ballynahinch: Try: Greg Hutley; Con: Greg Hutley; Pens: Greg Hutley 2
- HT: Dublin University 7 Ballynahinch 3
DUBLIN UNIVERSITY: Luis Faria; Rob Russell, Liam Turner, Gavin Jones, Marcus Kiely; Mick O’Kennedy (capt), Louis O’Reilly; Giuseppe Coyne, Mark Nicholson, Thomas Connolly, Jamie Berrisford, Harry Sheridan, Anthony Ryan, Alan Francis, Ronan Murphy.
Replacements: Ben Nel, Bart Vermeulen, Aaron Coleman, Jack Dunne, Cormac King, Aran Egan.
BALLYNAHINCH: Shane Ball; Paddy Wright, Ryan Wilson, Greg Hutley, Aaron Cairns; Jack Milligan, Chris Gibson; Ben Cullen, Tom Stewart, Kyle McCall, Thomas Donnan, Bradley Luney, Zack McCall (capt), Oli Loughead, Callum Irvine.
Replacements: Joshua Hanlon, Harry Simpson, Tom Martin, Diego Vidal Souza, Conor McAuley, Ronan Patterson.
GARRYOWEN 26 UCD 13, Dooradoyle
- Scorers: Garryowen: Tries: Bryan Fitzgerald 2, Sean Rennison 2; Cons: Tony Butler 3
- UCD: Try: David Heavey; Con: James Tarrant; Pens: James Tarrant 2
- HT: Garryowen 7 UCD 10
GARRYOWEN: Jamie Heuston; Colm Quilligan, Bryan Fitzgerald, Jack Delaney, Tommy O’Hora; Tony Butler, Edmond Barry; Niall Horan, Dylan Murphy, Jack Mullany, Roy Whelan, Kevin Seymour (capt), Tim Ferguson, Jack Daly, Cian Hurley.
Replacements: Pat O’Toole, Darragh McCarthy, Sean Rennison, Aaron Cosgrove, Alex Wood, Jack Madden.
UCD: Luke Maloney; David Heavey, Jack Ringrose (capt), James Moriarty, Jamie Murphy; James Tarrant, Paddy Patterson; Chris Hennessy, Bobby Sheehan, Evin Coyle, Alec Byrne, Diarmuid Mangan, Sean O’Brien, Donal McMahon, Ronan Foley.
Replacements: Richie Bergin, Rory McGuire, Rory Mulvihill, Jonathan Fish, Harry Donnelly, Tim Corkery.
UCC 15 LANSDOWNE 31, the Mardyke
- Scorers: UCC: Tries: Alex Kendellen, George Coomber; Con: Daniel Squires; Pen: Daniel Squires
- Lansdowne: Tries: Conan Dunne, Eamonn Mills, Adam Boland, Michael Silvester 2; Cons: Charlie Tector 3
- HT: UCC 3 Lansdowne 14
UCC: George Coomber; Timothy Duggan, Darragh French, Daniel Squires, Louis Bruce; Billy Kiernan, Luke Kerr; Alessandro Heaney, Harry Jephson, Corey Hanlon, Richard Thompson, Mark Bissessar, Aidan Brien, Jack Kelleher (capt), Alex Kendellen.
Replacements: Scott Buckley, Tom Ormond, Sam O’Sullivan, Jack O’Sullivan, Matthew Bowen, Joe O’Leary.
LANSDOWNE: Eamonn Mills; Sean Galvin, Corey Reid, Paul Kiernan, Michael Silvester; Charlie Tector, Cormac Foley; Frank Kavanagh, Jamie Kavanagh, Conan Dunne, Joey Szpara, Jack Dwan, Clive Ross, Jack O’Sullivan (capt), Mark Boyle.
Replacements: Luke Thompson, Adam Boland, Matthew Healy, James Kenny, Stephen Madigan, Harry Brennan.
YOUNG MUNSTER 19 TERENURE COLLEGE 7, Tom Clifford Park
- Scorers: Young Munster: Try: Conor Hayes; Con: Evan Cusack; Pens: Evan Cusack 4
- Terenure College: Try: Peter Sylvester; Con: Jake Swaine
- HT: Young Munster 6 Terenure College 0
YOUNG MUNSTER: Patrick Campbell; Conor Hayes, Pa Ryan, Harry Fleming, Shay McCarthy; Evan Cusack, Adam Maher; David Begley, Mark O’Mara, Colm Skehan, Tom Goggin, Sean Rigney, Alan Kennedy (capt), John Foley, Fintan Coleman.
Replacements: Dan Walsh, Paul Allen, Eoin O’Connor, Bailey Faloon, Jack Lyons, Jack Harrington.
TERENURE COLLEGE: Colm de Buitlear; Craig Adams, Stephen O’Neill, Peter Sylvester, Sam Coghlan Murray; James Thornton, Alan Bennie; Campbell Classon, Levi Vaughan, Andy Keating, Luke Clohessy, Michael Melia, Harrison Brewer, James Connolly, Jordan Coghlan.
Replacements: Conor McCormack, Adam Tuite, Matthew Caffrey, Adam Melia, Caolan Dooley, Jake Swaine.
OLD WESLEY 45 NAVAN 7, Energia Park
- Scorers: Old Wesley: Tries: Iain McGann, David Poff, Alastair Hoban, Robert O’Donovan, Nathan Randles, Conor Gaston, Charlie O’Regan; Cons: Josh Miller 3, Ian Cassidy, Paddy McKenzie
- Navan: Try: Paddy Fox; Con: Mark Farrell
- HT: Old Wesley 19 Navan 0
OLD WESLEY: Conor Gaston; Tommy O’Callaghan, James O’Donovan, David Poff, Nathan Randles; Josh Miller, Ian Cassidy; Harry Noonan, Ben Burns, Robert O’Donovan, JJ O’Dea, Iain McGann (capt), Will Fay, Daire Feeney, Reuben Pim.
Replacements: Howard Noonan, Sam Kenny, Alastair Hoban, Jack Costigan, Paddy McKenzie, Charlie O’Regan.
NAVAN: Liam McLoughlin; Paddy Fox, Sean McEntagart, Evan Dixon, Ben McEntagart; Colm O’Reilly, Mark Farrell; Niall Farrelly, Jack Nelson, Eoin King, Andrew Doyle, Conor Hand, Shane Faulkner, Conor Farrell, Hardus van Eeden.
Replacements: Gary Faulkner, Ronan Hannon, Ronan Meegan, Owen Duggan, Rory Gordon, Willie McAleese.
DIVISION 1B:
BANBRIDGE 17 ST. MARY’S COLLEGE 29, Rifle Park
- Scorers: Banbridge: Tries: Robert Maller, Alex Thompson; Cons: Adam Doherty 2; Pen: Adam Doherty
- St. Mary’s College: Tries: Matt Timmons, Richie Halpin, Mark Fogarty, Penalty try; Cons: Conor Dean 2, Pen try con; Pen: Conor Dean
- HT: Banbridge 10 St. Mary’s College 24
BANBRIDGE: Adam Doherty; Alex Morrow, Andrew Morrison, Jonny Little, John Porter; Josh Cromie, Neil Kilpatrick; Josh Chambers, Peter Cromie, Michael Cromie, Brendan McSorley, Alex Thompson, Alex Weir, Matthew Laird, Robin Sinton.
Replacements: Timothy Savage, Robert Maller, Chris Allen, Joshua Cunningham, Lewis Nelmes, Conor Field.
ST. MARY’S COLLEGE: Ruairi Shields; Matt Timmons, Myles Carey, Mick O’Gara, Craig Kennedy; Conor Dean, Mark Fogarty; Niall McEniff, Richie Halpin (capt), Mick McCormack, Ian Wickham, Liam Corcoran, Conor Corcoran, Niall Hurley, Nick McCarthy.
Replacements: Jamie Coolican, Padraig Dundon, Daniel Leane, Daniel Lyons, Aaron O’Neill, Joe Nolan.
CITY OF ARMAGH 23 SHANNON 20, Palace Grounds
- Scorers: City of Armagh: Tries: Jack Treanor, Penalty try; Cons: Kyle Faloon, Pen try con; Pens: Kyle Faloon 3
- Shannon: Tries: Daniel Okeke, Penalty try; Cons: John O’Sullivan, Pen try con; Pens: John O’Sullivan 2
- HT: City of Armagh 10 Shannon 6
CITY OF ARMAGH: Kyle Faloon; Andrew Willis, Shea O’Brien, Chris Colvin, Matthew Hooks; Romain Morrow, Alex Johnston; Peter Lamb, Jack Treanor, Philip Fletcher, John Glasgow, Josh McKinley, Nigel Simpson, James Hanna, Ryan O’Neill.
Replacements: Jonny Morton, Eoin O’Hagan, Oliver Millar, James Morton, Gerard Treanor, Evin Crummie.
SHANNON: Aran Hehir; Ikem Ugwueru, Killian Dineen, Alan Flannery, Jack O’Donnell; John O’Sullivan, Ian Leonard; Conor Glynn, Jordan Prenderville, Luke Rigney, Odhran Ring, Sean McCarthy, Kelvin Brown, Charlie Carmody, Lee Nicholas (capt).
Replacements: Declan Moore, Darragh McSweeney, Kieran Ryan, Ben Sargent, Darren Gavin, Daniel Okeke.
HIGHFIELD 38 NAAS 3, Woodleigh Park
- Scorers: Highfield: Tries: Robert Murphy, Sam Burns, Paul Stack, Ronan O’Sullivan, Ben Murphy, Travis Coomey; Cons: Paddy O’Toole 4
- Naas: Pen: Peter Osborne
- HT: Highfield 12 Naas 3
HIGHFIELD: Luke Kingston; Ben Murphy, Paddy O’Toole, Mark Dorgan, Paul Stack; James Taylor, Chris Banon (capt); James Rochford, Robert Murphy, Daragh Fitzgerald, Eoin Keating, Fintan O’Sullivan, Dave O’Connell, Ryan Murphy, Miah Cronin.
Replacements: Travis Coomey, Mick Dillane, Ronan O’Sullivan, Eddie Earle, Sam Burns, Gavin O’Leary.
NAAS: Peter Osborne (capt); Donal Conroy, Gary Kavanagh, Craig Ronaldson, Sam Cahill; Bryan Croke, Connor Halpenny; Adam Coyle, John Sutton, Peter King, Paul Monahan, David Benn, Ryan Casey, Will O’Brien, Paulie Tolofua.
Replacements: Connor Johnson, Conor Doyle, Cillian Dempsey, Tim Murphy, Matt Stapleton, Colm Doyle.
OLD BELVEDERE 32 MALONE 10, Ollie Campbell Park
- Scorers: Old Belvedere: Tries: John McKee 2, Tom Ryan, Ariel Robles, James McKeown; Cons: Justin Leonard 2; Pen: Justin Leonard
- Malone: Try: Aaron Sexton; Con: Rory Campbell; Pen: Rory Campbell
- HT: Old Belvedere 22 Malone 10
OLD BELVEDERE: Colm Hogan; James McKeown, David Butler, Robbie Deegan, Ariel Robles; Justin Leonard, Briain Leonard; Jerry Cahir, John McKee, Ryan McMahon, Dean Moore (capt), Paddy Dowling, Colin Mallon, Jack Breen, Tom Ryan.
Replacements: Joe Horan, Stewart Maguire, Calum Dowling, Will McDonald, Peter O’Beirne, Jack Gilheany.
MALONE: Aaron Sexton; Rory Campbell, David McMaster, Ben McCaughey, Andy Bryans; Conor Spence, Lewis Finlay; Tommy O’Hagan, Claytan Milligan, Ricky Greenwood, Adam McNamee, Stewart McKendrick, Dan Kerr, Dave Cave (capt), Max Porter.
Replacements: Zach Devine, Ben Halliday, Daryl Maxwell, Jonny Betts, Shane Kelly, Aidan McSwiggan.
DIVISION 2A:
- UL Bohemians 18 Cashel 14, UL Arena (played on Friday)
- Ballymena 29 Old Crescent 25, Eaton Park
- Buccaneers 24 Nenagh Ormond 16, Dubarry Park
- Queen’s University 60 Dolphin 0, Dub Lane
- Rainey Old Boys 0 MU Barnhall 39, Hatrick Park
DIVISION 2B:
- Belfast Harlequins 25 Ballina 24, Deramore Park
- Galwegians 5 Blackrock College 17, Crowley Park
- Greystones 43 Galway Corinthians 7, Dr Hickey Park
- Sligo 19 Malahide 7, Hamilton Park
- Wanderers 29 Dungannon 22, Aviva Stadium main pitch
DIVISION 2C:
- Bangor 24 Midleton 14, Upritchard Park
- Bruff 14 Clonmel 14, Kilballyowen Park
- Enniscorthy 45 Omagh Academicals 17, Alcast Park
- Skerries 36 Tullamore 5, Holmpatrick
- Sunday’s Well 14 City of Derry 20, Musgrave Park