ULSTER BANK LEAGUE, DIVISION 1A
TERENURE COLLEGE 35
ST. MARY’S COLLEGE 5
Lakelands Park
THE ‘BATTLE OF Dublin 6W’ was turned into a procession for second-placed Terenure College as they recorded a 35-5 bonus point win over lowly neighbours St. Mary’s College at Lakelands Park today.
Ireland’s Grand Slam-winning coach Joe Schmidt brought the Six Nations and Triple Crown trophies along for the derby occasion, and he was part of a bumper crowd that watched his son Tim’s Terenure side rubber-stamp their Ulster Bank League title credentials.
There is an acid test awaiting in the next round when Terenure visit Cork Constitution in what could be a straight shootout for a home semi-final, but James Blaney’s men certainly head into that game in two weeks’ time in buoyant form.
Taking a leaf out of Edinburgh’s book against Connacht last night, ‘Nure stormed out of the blocks and flanker Cathal Deans’ converted try after just 30 seconds signalled their obvious intent.
The hosts were 7-0 up by the seventh minute, a smashing break by centre Marc Hiney ending with winger Jake Swaine crossing on the right for his seventh try of the league run.
Alarmingly, the Mary’s defence gave way again just four minutes later. Hiney and Matthew Byrne showed impressive hands in midfield and former Leinster player Sam Coghlan Murray scooted over for the try, with out-half Mark O’Neill adding his third successful conversion.
Mary’s, who look set to finish in the bottom two and face the play-offs with Division 1B opposition, came more into the contest either side of half-time. ‘Nure lost flanker Robert Duke to the sin-bin and the visitors enjoyed a spell of dominance in the 22.
The pressure eventually paid off when young winger Craig Kennedy did brilliantly to collect his own well-weighted grubber kick and score an unconverted try in the corner.
Nonetheless, Terenure bounced back with the bonus point when number 10 O’Neill threw a couple of dummies and cut through to score by the posts. O’Neill finished with a 15-point tally, also converting the fifth and final try from his half-back partner Kevin O’Neill, who dived over from a five-metre scrum in the dying minutes.
TERENURE COLLEGE: Matthew Byrne; Jake Swaine, Marc Hiney, Robbie Carroll, Sam Coghlan Murray; Mark O’Neill, Kevin O’Neill; Schalk Jooste, Robbie Smyth (capt), Oisin Heffernan, Michael Melia, Alex Thompson, Cathal Deans, Robert Duke, Eoin Joyce
Replacements: Adam Clarkin, Cian Madden, Niall Lalor, Kaleikaumaka Konrad, James O’Donoghue
ST. MARY’S COLLEGE: Sean Kearns; Dave Fanagan, Marcus O’Driscoll, Myles Carey, Craig Kennedy; Conor Dean, Robbie Glynn; Emmet Ferron, Hugo Kean, Adam Coyle, Ciaran Ruddock (capt), Cathal O’Flaherty, David Aspil, Hugh Kelleher, David O’Connor
Replacements: Richard Halpin, Tom O’Reilly, Nick McCarthy, Paddy O’Driscoll, Matthew Timmons
LANSDOWNE 76
DUBLIN UNIVERSITY 26
Aviva Stadium back pitch
Division 1A leaders Lansdowne were at their free-scoring best, tallying up a merciless 11 tries as they hammered a gallant Dublin University side 76-26 on the Aviva Stadium’s back pitch this afternoon.
Mike Ruddock’s men bounced back from losing at Cork Constitution to produce an eye-watering final scoreline, running Trinity ragged at times and piling forward on the back of their dominant scrum. Full-back Eamonn Mills, who returned from Ireland Club International duty, winger Mark O’Keefe and scrum half Alan Bennie all scored two tries apiece for the victors.
The visitors’ best spell saw them string together two converted tries midway through the first half. Some nice handling put winger Evan Dixon over in the right corner, and then they built through the phases before experienced scrum half Angus Lloyd sniped over to reduce the arrears to 26-14. However, that was as close as Trinity got.
Lansdowne ended the opening 40 minutes with two more tries – the first a penalty try from their powerful scrum and the second a well-taken effort from flanker Jack O’Sullivan. They had already guaranteed their sixth bonus point of the campaign thanks to early glut of scores in a flying start, which was sparked by O’Keefe’s first-minute try.
The table toppers continued to stamp their authority on the game with four more tries before Trinity out-half Jack McDermott made it over out wide in the 59th minute. Indeed, Tony Smeeth’s charges, who are third from bottom in the table, picked up valuable bonus point when hooker Dan Sheehan ran hard to score in the corner with replacement Tommy Whittle landing the touchline conversion.
There was still time for O’Keefe to have the final say for Lansdowne in the 70th minute, sealing a 50-point winning margin for the home side whose half-backs Bennie and Scott Deasy had a field day scoring-wise. Adding to Bennie’s two tries, out-half Deasy also touched down, landed eight of his ten conversion attempts and was on target with a 65th minute penalty too. The Corkman’s 24-point haul keeps him clear at the top of the division’s scoring charts with 184 points so far.
LANSDOWNE: Eamonn Mills; Daniel McEvoy, Harry Brennan, Fergal Cleary, Mark O’Keefe; Scott Deasy, Alan Bennie; Peter Dooley. Tyrone Moran, Ian Prendiville (capt), Oisin Dowling, Jack Dwan, Jack O’Sullivan, Charlie Butterworth, Aaron Conneely.
Replacements: Adam Boland, Ntinga Mpiko, Josh O’Rourke, Gareth Molloy, Tom Roche.
DUBLIN UNIVERSITY: Jack Kelly; Evan Dixon, Michael Courtney (capt), Kyle Dixon, Darragh Porter; Jack McDermott, Angus Lloyd; James Bollard, Dan Sheehan, Joe Byrne, Jack Burke, Alex McDonald, Paddy Finlay, David St Leger, Tom Ryan.
Replacements: Darragh Higgins, Dylan Doyle, Paddy Nulty, Rowan Osborne, Tommy Whittle, Niall O’Riordan.
CLONTARF 30
GARRYOWEN 35
Castle Avenue
Ireland U20 hooker Diarmuid Barron crossed for a brace of tries as Garryowen edged out play-off rivals Clontarf 35-30 in a thrilling Ulster Bank League contest at Castle Avenue.
The lead changed hands on seven occasions as Division 1A’s fourth and fifth-placed clubs went at it hammer and tongs, with Barron taking on the ‘super sub’ role for Garryowen with the match-winning try three minutes from time.
After leaking an early penalty to David Joyce, the visitors hit the front when impressive young winger Liam Coombes sliced through the home defence for his eighth try of the campaign. Captain Neil Cronin converted and also added the extras to flanker Jack Daly’s effort on the 20-minute mark.
Clontarf closed the gap back to 14-10 for half-time thanks to winger James McKeown’s well-worked score off a lineout, and backs and forwards combined to tee up ‘Tarf full-back Jack Power for the ideal start to the second half.
Joyce booted a penalty to open up a four-point lead (18-14), but Garryowen’s well-oiled maul delivered the goods again when Barron was driven over in the 64th minute, with Cronin keeping up his 100% record with conversions.
Both sides bounded up the 4G pitch with impressive regularity in an attack-driven finale, as Ivan Soroka and Andrew O’Byrne swapped tries, the Light Blues staying three points in front (28-25), before Joyce’s skip pass cut out two defenders and freed up Power to score his second try and bag the bonus point with five minutes remaining.
However, Garryowen stung the north Dubliners just a couple of minutes later when Barron barged over for his side’s fifth try and game’s decisive score, which has moved them back into the top four with only two rounds to go.
CLONTARF: Jack Power; James McKeown, Ariel Robles, Sean O’Brien, Cian O’Donoghue; David Joyce, Sam Cronin; Ivan Soroka, Dylan Donnellan, Royce Burke-Flynn, Tom Byrne, Ben Reilly (capt), Tony Ryan, Vincent Gavin, Michael Noone.
Replacements: Jonathon Larbey, Neil Reilly, Vakh Abdaladze, Andrew Feeney, Conor Kelly.
GARRYOWEN: Andrew O’Byrne; Liam Coombes, David Johnston, Dave McCarthy, Bryan Fitzgerald; Jame Gavin, Neil Cronin (capt); Niall Horan, Liam Cronin, Andy Keating, Sean O’Connor, Dean Moore, Mikey Wilson, Jack Daly, Bailey Faloon.
Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Ben Rowley, Sean Rennison, Tim Ferguson, Paul Clancy, Hugh O’Brien-Cunningham.
UCD 27
CORK CONSTITUTION 39
Belfield Bowl
A spirited second half showing from hosts UCD was not enough to derail title-chasing Cork Constitution who ran out 39-22 bonus point winners at Belfield.
Con’s backs were in fine form in the first half, finishing a couple of first-phase attacks to push the visitors into a 22-0 half-time lead. The hard work put in by backs coach Johnny Holland translated into scores from wingers JJ O’Neill and Rob Jermyn for the division’s third-place side.
The early damage was done by a Tomas Quinlan penalty and prop Ger Sweeney’s converted try, and the lead was extended early in the second period when Jermyn bagged the bonus point following some excellent interplay between back rowers Joe McSwiney and Luke Cahill.
UCD made a game of it during the closing half-an-hour, with try-scoring scrum half Patrick Patterson, a recent Ireland Under-20 debutant, and his fellow replacements providing some much-needed spark.
Winger Tom Fletcher and number 8 Stephen McVeigh bagged a brace of tries each as the students earned a losing bonus point, which effectively guarantees their top-flight status for another year.
Constitution had to quell UCD’s comeback and they managed to do so with a second successful penalty from out-half Quinlan, coupled with influential second row Brian Hayes’ late try from a chip-and-chase. They host second-placed Terenure next up with the result of that tussle going a long way to deciding who has home advantage in the last-four.
UCD: Conall Doherty; Tom Fletcher, Gavin Mullin, Colm Mulcahy, Steven Kilgallen; Matthew Gilsenan, Jamie Glynn (capt); Rory Mulvihill, Sean McNulty, Liam Hyland, Emmet MacMahon, Keelan McKenna, Ronan Foley, Alex Penny, Stephen McVeigh.
Replacements: Gordon Frayne, Michael Moynihan, Brian Cawley, Patrick Patterson, Jack Ringrose.
CORK CONSTITUTION: Liam O’Connell; JJ O’Neill, Greg Higgins, Niall Kenneally, Rob Jermyn; Tomas Quinlan, Gerry Hurley; Brendan Quinlan, Kevin O’Byrne, Ger Sweeney, Conor Kindregan (capt), Brian Hayes, Joe McSwiney, Ross O’Neill, Luke Cahill.
Replacements: Gavin Duffy, Dylan Murphy, Evan Mintern, Jason Higgins, Michael Clune.
YOUNG MUNSTER 24
BUCCANEERS 22
Tom Clifford Park
Teenage winger Luke Fitzgerald swooped for the match-winning try in the 67th minute as Young Munster overcame bottom club Buccaneers on a 24-22 scoreline.
Munsters were made to work very hard for this result at Tom Clifford Park, which keeps them on the coat-tails of Clontarf (fifth) and Garryowen (fourth) in the scrap for the Division 1A play-off positions.
The Cookies had a strong hold of the game when they pushed 19-3 clear after 31 minutes, hooker Ger Slattery’s try cancelling out a Conor McKeon penalty before in-form full-back Alan Tynan scored two tries in a nine-minute spell.
The first-year Munster Academy player also touched down twice in Young Munster’s narrow Bank Holiday Monday defeat to Trinity, and he continued his current rich vein of form at Greenfields yesterday with two snappy finishes, adding both conversions himself.
However, Buccs are still fighting for their lives at the foot of the table and winger Darragh Corbett’s timely try on the stroke of half-time kept them in the hunt at 19-8 down.
The midlanders launched a terrific comeback on the resumption and their full-back Alan Gaughan showed his power and pace to clinically match his opposite number Tynan’s two-try haul. McKeon tagged on the extras on both occasions to suddenly push the Pirates ahead at 22-19.
Crucially, Munsters had time on their side and their back-line got moving again, releasing Fitzgerald, an Ireland Under-18 international last year, to run in a try which means Young Munster are still in contention for a top-four finish with two rounds remaining.
YOUNG MUNSTER: Alan Tynan; Jason Kiely, Jack Harrington, Evan O’Gorman, Luke Fitzgerald; Shane Airey, Jack Lyons; Gavin Ryan, Ger Slattery, Colm Skehan, Tom Goggin, Alan Kennedy, Diarmaid Dee, Mark O’Mara, Ben Kilkenny (capt).
Replacements: Ronan Murphy, Peter Meyer, Mike Madden, Joseph O’Connor, Rob Guerin, Alan Ross.
BUCCANEERS: Alan Gaughan; Callum Boland, Rory Scholes, Ben Carty, Darragh Corbett; Luke Carty, Conor McKeon; Martin Staunton, John Sutton, Conan O’Donnell, Dan Law, Ruairi Byrne, Cian Romaine, Evan Galvin, Paul Boyle.
Replacements: Brian Diffley, Conor Kenny, Rossa Dooley, Graham Lynch, Frankie Hopkins.
DIVISION 1B
SHANNON 24
OLD WESLEY 21
Thomond Park back pitch
SHANNON: Fionn McGibney; Nathan Randles, Pa Ryan, Will Leonard, Darren Gavin; Conor Fitzgerald, Aaron Hehir; Conor Glynn, Ty Chan, Tony Cusack, Ronan Coffey, Sean McCarthy, Lee Nicholas (capt), Charlie Carmody, John Foley.
Replacements: Luke O’Halloran, Ciaran Parker, Kelvin Brown, Keith Kavanagh, Jack O’Donnell.
OLD WESLEY: Rory Stynes; Jack Maybury, James O’Donovan, David Poff, Paul Harte; Josh Miller, Charlie O’Regan; Cronan Gleeson, Craig Telford, James Burton, Donnchadh Phelan, Kieran Murphy, JJ O’Dea, Conor Barry, John Fitzgerald.
Replacements: Ben Burns, David Henshaw, Matthew Bursey, Tommy O’Callaghan, Adam Kennedy.
BALLYMENA 31
UL BOHEMIANS 17
Eaton Park
BALLYMENA: Rodger McBurney; Dean Reynolds, Callum Patterson, Glenn Baillie, James Beattie; Brett Herron, Michael Stronge; Nacho Cladera Crespo, Adam McBurney, Chris Cundell, Mark Foster, Ben O’Ryan, Marcus Rea, Domonic Gallagher, James Gallagher.
Replacements: Josh Bill, James Taggart, Nathan Rankin, Matthew Norris, David O’Hara.
UL BOHEMIANS: Colin Ryan; Matt McDonald, Adrian Enright, Harry Fleming, Jamie McNamara; Robbie Bourke, Ian O’Connor; Joey Conway, Joe Bennett, Mark Bromell, Daragh Frawley (capt), Ed Kelly, James Ryan, Darragh O’Grady, Noel Kinnane.
Replacements: Keynan Knox, David O’Connor, Ian Condell, Brian Walsh, Mike Mullally.
BALLYNAHINCH 26
DOLPHIN 15
Ballymacarn Park
BALLYNAHINCH: Conor Kelly; Paddy Wright, Stuart Morrow, Will Stewart, Richard Reaney; Ryan Wilson, Aaron Cairns (capt); Jerry Cronin, Conor Piper, Stuart Orr, James Simpson, John Donnan, Peter Browne. Josh Donaldson, Zac Ward.
Replacements: Campbell Classon, Jack Regan, Callum McLaughlin, Chris Gibson.
DOLPHIN: Timmy Phelan; Colin Sisk, Gary O’Keeffe, Ian O’Donoghue, Will Hanly; Barry Keeshan, Daryl Foley; James Rochford, Liam Walsh, Brian Scott, Alex Denby, Dave O’Mahony, James Vaughan, Kevin Allen, Kevin O’Leary.
Replacements: Caolan O’Flynn, Anthony Mason, Rob O’Herlihy, Barry Fitzgerald, Peter Hyde.
NAAS 31
BANBRIDGE 40
Forenaughts
NAAS: Peter Osborne; Fionn Higgins, Fionn Carr, James Cherrington, Niall Delahunt; Johne Murphy, Max Whittingham; Jordan Duggan, Graham Reynolds, Conor Doyle, Paul Monahan, David Benn (capt), Cillian Dempsey, Will O’Brien, Paulie Tolofua.
Replacements: Cathal Duff, Stephen Lackey, Andrew Kearney, Warren Larkin, Ross Bailey Kearney.
BANBRIDGE: Adam Doherty; John Porter, Andrew Morrison, James Hume, Adam Ervine; Johnny Little, Jason Gribben; Michael Cromie, Peter Cromie, Tom O’Toole, Chris Allen, Stephen Irvine, Caleb Montgomery, Nick Hayes, Greg Jones.
Replacements: Jonny Weir, Stuart Cromie, Mike Bentley, Neil Kilpatrick, Conor Field.
OLD BELVEDERE 22
UCC 26
Anglesea Road
OLD BELVEDERE: Daniel Riordan; Chris Carey, David Butler, Jack Gillheany, Peter Maher; Steve Crosbie, Ian Vance; Adam Howard, Ed Rossiter (capt), Omar Dahir, Pierce Dargan, Karl Miller, Eoin O’Neill, James McWilliams-Gray, David Sherry.
Replacements: Andy McGrath, Roman Salanoa, Diarmuid Kennedy, Peter O’Beirne, Tim Foley.
UCC: Richard Walsh; Murray Linn, Paul Kiernan (capt), Peter Sylvester, Cian Bohane; James Taylor, John Poland; Bryan O’CConnor, Tadgh McCarthy, Rob O’Donovan, Cian Barry, Brian O’Mahony, Lee McSherry, Darragh Moloney, Daire Feeney.
Replacements: Travis Coomey, Charlie Slowey, Cian Fitzgerald, Shane McAuliffe, Kevin Slater.
DIVISION 2A
Blackrock College 33 Galwegians 20, Stradbrook
Corinthians 30 City of Armagh 29, Corinthian Park
Greystones 31 Nenagh Ormond 24, New Ormond Park
Malone 22 Cashel 17, Gibson Park
Queen’s University 36 Highfield 43, Dub Lane
DIVISION 2B
Navan 46 MU Barnhall 12, Balreask Old
Old Crescent 31 Dungannon 7, Rosbrien
Rainey Old Boys 31 Belfast Harlequins 21, Hatrick Park
Skerries 48 City of Derry 10, Holmpatrick
Sunday’s Well 25 Wanderers 10, Irish Independent Park
DIVISION 2C
Bangor 8 Midleton 37, Upritchard Park
Bective Rangers 22 Omagh 42, Donnybrook
Seapoint 21 Thomond 14, Kilbogget Park
Sligo 31 Bruff 10, Hamilton Park
Tullamore 29 Malahide 18, Spollanstown