DYLAN DONNELAN’S SUPERB try-scoring season continued as Division 1A leaders Clontarf ended Terenure College’s 10-match winning run in the Energia All-Ireland League.
Proving unstoppable again from a few metres out, hooker Donnellan crashed over twice during the first half of ‘Tarf’s 12-11 victory at Castle Avenue.
There were emotional scenes before kick-off as the Ukraine flag flew above the Clontarf clubhouse, with Kiev-born prop Ivan Soroka and his younger brother, Leinster Academy forward Alex, both starting for the table-toppers.
Clontarf pledged all the gate money and donations from bucket collections to the Irish Red Cross Ukraine Crisis Appeal. The home pack got on top at crucial stages, using their lineout maul as a key launchpad.
Donnellan scored from a pick-and-go and then a well-executed lineout drive, taking his incredible tally to 15 tries for the current campaign.
Third-placed Terenure bit back with two Jake Swaine penalties, and despite conceding a late Craig Adams try in the corner, Clontarf hung on with some dogged defence.
Luis Faria’s 70th-minute breakaway try sealed a vital win for Dublin University’s play-off hopes, as they defeated defending champions Cork Constitution 32-27 at College Park.
Cork Con remain fourth in the table, helped by Greg Higgins’ late bonus-point score, but Trinity have closed the gap to eight points with three rounds remaining.
Liam McMahon skittled Con defenders on a powerful early run, and with a subsequent penalty dispatched to the corner, a well-executed maul set up flanker Anthony Ryan for the opening try.
Trinity captain Mick O’Kennedy converted before adding a penalty for a 8-0 scoreline, following a cynical foul by Con number eight Luke Cahill who was sent to the sin bin.
In Cahill’s absence, his opposite number Diarmuid McCormack plunged over from the back of a dominant five-metre scrum. O’Kennedy made it 15-0.
Five minutes before half-time, Con captain Aidan Moynihan spun a skip pass wide for Munster’s Alex McHenry to step inside Max O’Reilly and pull a try back.
O’Reilly was caught with a high tackle soon after, as Con lost prop Luke McAuliffe to the bin, but a late Moynihan penalty reduced the arrears to 15-8.
Leinster Academy hooker Lee Barron opened the second half’s scoring, but Trinity’s third try was cancelled out by scores from Con replacement Gerry Hurley, via a maul, and McHenry again – at the end of a free-flowing attack.
However, Tony Smeeth’s young guns showed impressive composure during the closing stages, with centre Faria crucially racing clear to steady the ship at 29-20 before Kennedy slotted over a clinching three-pointer.
There was still time for Con’s in-form centre Higgins to make it four tries each. The Leesiders’ seventh try-scoring bonus point of the season keeps them just four points behind second-placed Lansdowne.
Young Munster are hot on Con’s heels with just three points to make up following a brilliant 39-24 bonus point success against Lansdowne.
The Cookies ran in five tries in an all-action display at Greenfields that eased some of the hurt from their recent Bateman Cup final defeat to the same opposition.
Jason Kiely got Munsters off to a flying start with a try after he stripped the ball in a tackle, chipped over the Lansdowne defence and collected to touch down for an excellent individual score that Evan Cusack converted.
Young scrum-half Donnacha O’Callaghan crossed twice, popping up on the shoulder of Conor Moloney for his first and then scoring again on the hour mark after excellent work from full-back Cian Casey.
Despite losing lock Joey Szpara to a red card, Lansdowne battled valiantly for a bonus point of their own, but a late Evan Cusack penalty saw the home side prevail.
The best of Lansdowne’s tries came during the first half when Corey Reid’s well-timed pass created an overlap, allowing James Reynolds to send Eamonn Mills over in the corner to close the gap to 17-12 at the break.
Meanwhile, UCD secured their Division 1A status for another year with a 33-12 triumph over UCC in the Colours match at the Mardyke.
James Ryan’s younger brother, David, popped up with his fifth try in six games for Kevin Croke’s side. Centre Daniel Squires briefly brought UCC level on the half hour mark, but the well-drilled visitors pushed clear in the second half.
The Cork outfit were only 14-7 behind at the break, with Squires finishing off good initial work from prop Rory Duggan and adding the conversion himself.
UCD had cut through for a 25th-minute opener, scored by hooker Bobby Sheehan, and a nice move off a scrum saw Ross Deegan come in off his wing to touch down. The Leinster Academy’s Chris Cosgrave converted both tries.
Five minutes into the second half, UCC came under further pressure when Deegan intercepted a long pass. UCD needed no second invitation and prop Chris Hennessy duly claimed their third try, converted by James Tarrant.
Tarrant and UCC full-back Louis Bruce then swapped tries, the latter profiting from some fine build-up play to finish well in the right corner.
UCD were the better team on the day and rounded off a five tries-to-two victory when Ryan powered through, yet the lasting memory of the day came before kick-off when captains Jack Kelleher and Jack Ringrose held the Ukrainian flag together during a minute’s silence.
The game between UCC and UCD was played in great spirit but there are more important things in life. The teams took a moment to remember the victims of the Ukraine conflict. pic.twitter.com/skcLB5HDSO
— UCC Rugby (@UCCRFC) March 5, 2022
With the one-up, one-down system in place this season, relegation will be decided by a two-legged play-off between UCC and Ballynahinch, whose own battle against finishing in the bottom two ended with a gut-wrenching 29-26 loss at Garryowen.
Bradley Luney’s second try of the game – a charge-down on the 80-minute mark – had ‘Hinch four points up, but senior debutant Matthew Sheehan emerged as Garryowen’s last-gasp hero, touching down right at the death.
The County Down side, who outscored Garryowen by four tries to two, were also left to rue their indiscipline. Munster Academy talent Tony Butler, who only turns 20 next month, accumulated 19 points from five penalties and two conversions.
ENERGIA ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE – ROUND 15 RESULTS:
DIVISION 1A:
CLONTARF 12 TERENURE COLLEGE 11, Castle Avenue
Scorers: Clontarf: Tries: Dylan Donnellan 2; Con: Tadhg Bird
Terenure College: Try: Craig Adams; Pens: Jake Swaine 2
CLONTARF: Tadhg Bird; Andrew Smith, Michael Courtney, Matt D’Arcy (capt), Cian O’Donoghue; Conor Kearns, Angus Lloyd; Ivan Soroka, Dylan Donnellan, Ben Griffin, Cormac Daly, Fionn Gilbert, Alex Soroka, Ed Brennan, Tony Ryan.
Replacements: Cathal O’Flynn, Darragh Bolger, Paul Deeny, Andrew Feeney, Michael Brown, Vincent Gavin.
TERENURE COLLEGE: Jake Swaine; Sam Coghlan Murray, Colm de Buitléar, Peter Sylvester, Craig Adams; Cathal Marsh, Alan Bennie; Campbell Classon, Levi Vaughan, Andy Keating, Mike Murphy, Michael Melia, Harrison Brewer (capt), Luke Clohessy, Jordan Coghlan.
Replacements: Dewald Barnard, Adam Tuite, Matthew Caffrey, Conall Boomer, James Thornton, Stephen O’Neill.
DUBLIN UNIVERSITY 32 CORK CONSTITUTION 27, College Park
Scorers: Dublin University: Tries: Anthony Ryan, Diarmuid McCormack, Lee Barron, Luis Faria; Cons: Mick O’Kennedy 3; Pens: Mick O’Kennedy 2
Cork Constitution: Tries: Alex McHenry 2, Gerry Hurley, Greg Higgins; Cons: Aidan Moynihan 2; Pen: Aidan Moynihan
DUBLIN UNIVERSITY: Max O’Reilly; Liam McMahon, Luis Faria, Gavin Jones, Rob Russell; Mick O’Kennedy (capt), Louis O’Reilly; Bart Vermeulen, Lee Barron, Thomas Connolly, Harry Sheridan, Jack Dunne, Anthony Ryan, Alan Francis, Diarmuid McCormack.
Replacements: Mark Nicholson, Giuseppe Coyne, Jamie Berrisford, Aaron Coleman, Cormac King, Aran Egan.
CORK CONSTITUTION: Billy Crowley; Sean French, Greg Higgins, Niall Kenneally, Alex McHenry; Aidan Moynihan (capt); Duncan Williams; Brendan Quinlan, Luke McAuliffe, Dylan Murphy, Conor Kindregan, Cian Barry, John Forde, James Murphy, Luke Cahill.
Replacements: Jack Dinneen, Paddy Casey, Eoin Quilter, Matisse Lamarque d’Arrouzat, Gerry Hurley, Rob Jermyn.
GARRYOWEN 29 BALLYNAHINCH 26, Dooradoyle
Scorers: Garryowen: Tries: Dave McCarthy, Matthew Sheehan; Cons: Tony Butler 2; Pens: Tony Butler 5
Ballynahinch: Tries: Ruairi Meharg, Bradley Luney 2, Oli Loughead; Cons: Conor Rankin 3
GARRYOWEN: Tony Butler; Colm Quilligan, Bryan Fitzgerald, Dave McCarthy, Tommy O’Hora; Jack Delaney, Jack Oliver; Jack Mullany, Kieran McCarthy, James Kendrick, Tim Ferguson, Kevin Seymour (capt), Des Fitzgerald, Jack Madden, Alan Fitzgerald.
Replacements: Niall Fitzgerald, Michael Veale, Roy Whelan, Evan Maher, Matthew Sheehan, Jamie Shanahan.
BALLYNAHINCH: Conor Rankin; Marcus Heath, Ryan Wilson, Rory Butler, Ronan Patterson; Greg Hutley, Ruairi Meharg; Nacho Cladera Crespo, Kyle McCall, John Dickson, Cormac Izuchukwu, John Donnan, Thomas Donnan, Oli Loughead, Bradley Luney.
Replacements: David Cooper, Matthew Cooper, Gareth Gill, Tom Martin, Andrew Foster, Conor McAuley.
YOUNG MUNSTER 39 LANSDOWNE 24, Tom Clifford Park
Scorers: Young Munster: Tries: Jason Kiely, Donnacha O’Callaghan 2, Conor Phillips, Shane Malone; Cons: Evan Cusack 4; Pens: Evan Cusack 2
Lansdowne: Tries: Joey Szpara, Eamonn Mills, Jack Matthews, Mark Boyle; Cons: Peter Hastie 2
YOUNG MUNSTER: Cian Casey; Jason Kiely, Conor Phillips, Harry Fleming, Stephen Lyons; Evan Cusack, Donnacha O’Callaghan; David Begley, Shane Malone, Conor Bartley, Eoin O’Connor, Sean Rigney, Alan Kennedy (capt), Conor Moloney, Bailey Faloon.
Replacements: Kean Sheehy, Paul Allen, Tom Goggin, Aidan Quinlivan, Adam Maher, Luke Fitzgerald.
LANSDOWNE: Eamonn Mills; James Reynolds, Corey Reid, Stephen Madigan, Sean Galvin; Peter Hastie, James Kenny; Frank Kavanagh, Luke Thompson, Ben Popplewell, Joey Szpara, Ruairi Clarke, Daniel Murphy, Jack O’Sullivan, Clive Ross.
Replacements: Tom Barry, Greg McGrath, Matthew Healy, Mark Boyle, Jack Matthews, Kyle Dixon.
UCC 12 UCD 33, the Mardyke
Scorers: UCC: Tries: Daniel Squires, Louis Bruce; Con: Daniel Squires
UCD: Tries: Bobby Sheehan, Ross Deegan, Chris Hennessy, James Tarrant, David Ryan; Cons: Chris Cosgrave 2, James Tarrant, Tim Corkery
UCC: Louis Bruce; Timothy Duggan, Killian Coghlan, Daniel Squires, Joe O’Leary; Billy Kiernan, Andrew O’Mahony; Rory Duggan, Billy Kingston, Corey Hanlon, Richard Thompson, Mark Bissessar, Sam O’Sullivan, Jack O’Sullivan, Jack Kelleher (capt).
Replacements: Harry Jephson, Alan McDonald, Aidan Brien, Conor Booth, Cian Whooley, George Coomber.
UCD: Chris Cosgrave; Ross Deegan, David Ryan, James Tarrant, Jack Ringrose (capt); Tim Corkery, Richie Fahy; Rory Mulvihill, Bobby Sheehan, Chris Hennessy, Jonathan Fish, Gerry Hill, Diarmuid Mangan, Cian Reilly, Sean O’Brien.
Replacements: Killian McQuaid, Hugo O’Malley, Jack Gardiner, Luke Maloney, Alex O’Grady, Dylan O’Grady.
DIVISION 1B:
BANBRIDGE 29 NAVAN 15, Rifle Park
Scorers: Banbridge: Tries: Peter Cromie, Max Lyttle, Andrew Morrison 2, Robin Sinton; Cons: Adam Doherty 2
Navan: Tries: Conor Hand, Ben Daly; Con: Mark Farrell; Pen: Colm O’Reilly
BANBRIDGE: Adam Doherty; Conor Field, Joe Finnegan, Ben Carson, Josh Cromie; Andrew Morrison, Neil Kilpatrick; Michael Cromie (capt), Peter Cromie, Stuart Cromie, Alex Thompson, Chris Allen, Max Lyttle, Ryan Hughes, Robin Sinton.
Replacements: Josh Chambers, Christian Trimble, Brendan McSorley, Alex Weir, Aaron Kennedy, Ross Cartmill.
NAVAN: Ben Daly; Rory Gordon, Sean McEntagart, Evan Dixon, Paddy Fox; Colm O’Reilly, Keith Kavanagh; Niall Farrelly, Jack Nelson, Liam Carroll, Eoghan Noonan, Conor Hand, Ben McEntagart, Ronan Meegan, Conor Ryan.
Replacements: Gary Faulkner, Alex McGoey, Leigh Jackson, Evan Gordon, Riaan van der Vyver, Mark Farrell.
CITY OF ARMAGH 21 ST. MARY’S COLLEGE 10, Palace Grounds
Scorers: City of Armagh: Tries: Jack Treanor, Tim McNiece 2; Cons: Harry Boyd, Shea O’Brien 2
St. Mary’s College: Tries: Conor Dean, Hugo Conway
CITY OF ARMAGH: Shea O’Brien; Andrew Willis, Chris Colvin, Tim McNiece (capt), Matthew Hooks; Harry Boyd, Gerard Treanor; Paul Mullen, Jack Treanor, Philip Fletcher, Josh McKinley, John Glasgow, Nigel Simpson, Ryan O’Neill, Neil Faloon.
Replacements: Jonny Morton, Dylan Poyntz, James Crummie, James Morton, Evin Crummie, Ross Taylor.
ST. MARY’S COLLEGE: Dave Fanagan; Matt Timmons, Myles Carey, Mick O’Gara, Ryan O’Loughlin; Conor Dean, Colm Reilly; Daniel Lyons, Richie Halpin (capt), Mick McCormack, Peter Starrett, Liam Corcoran, David Aspil, Niall Hurley, Ronan Watters.
Replacements: Steven O’Brien, Padraig Dundon, Ian Wickham, Adam McEvoy, Hugo Conway, Conor Corcoran.
HIGHFIELD 29 MALONE 13, Woodleigh Park
Scorers: Highfield: Tries: Sean Garrett, Eddie Earle, Sam Burns, Ben Murphy; Cons: Shane O’Riordan 3; Pen: Shane O’Riordan
Malone: Tries: Dan Kerr 2; Pen: Callum Smith
HIGHFIELD: Sam Burns; Ben Murphy, James Taylor, Mark Dorgan, James Daly; Shane O’Riordan, Chris Banon (capt); Cillian Buckley, Travis Coomey, Daragh Fitzgerald, Dave O’Connell, Sean Garrett, Eddie Earle, Cathal Gallagher, Miah Cronin.
Replacements: Rob Murphy, Mick Dillane, Ryan Murphy, Mark Fitzgibbon, David O’Sullivan, Gavin O’Leary.
MALONE: Aaron Sexton; Andy Bryans, David McMaster, Ben McCaughey, Gareth Millar; Callum Smith, Shane Kelly; Ricky Greenwood, Aidan McSwiggan, Ben Halliday, Zach Devine, Adam McNamee, Dan Kerr, Dave Cave (capt), James McAlister.
Replacements: Lawson Porter, Connor Kelly, Jack McMurtry, Nick Andress, Conor Spence, Lee Barlow.
OLD BELVEDERE 22 SHANNON 33, Ollie Campbell Park
Scorers: Old Belvedere: Tries: James Bollard, Paddy Dowling, Jack Gilheany; Cons: Justin Leonard 2; Pen: Justin Leonard
Shannon: Tries: Kelvin Brown, Killian Dineen, Aran Hehir, Jake Flannery, Kieran Ryan; Cons: Jake Flannery 4
OLD BELVEDERE: Colm Hogan; Jack Keating, David Butler, Justin Leonard, Ariel Robles; David Wilkinson, Conall Bird; James Bollard, John McKee, Ryan McMahon, Will McDonald, Connor Owende (capt), Fionn McWey, Calum Dowling, Paddy Dowling.
Replacements: Joe Horan, Hugh Flood, Tom Mulcair, Dean Moore, Briain Leonard, Jack Gilheany.
SHANNON: Jamie McGarry; Josh Costello, Killian Dineen, Alan Flannery, Jack O’Donnell; Jake Flannery, Aran Hehir; Conor Glynn, Jordan Prenderville, Luke Rigney, Ronan Coffey, David Maher, Odhran Ring, Kelvin Brown, Lee Nicholas (capt).
Replacements: Declan Moore, Jade Kriel, Kieran Ryan, Ethan Coughlan, John O’Sullivan, Colm Heffernan.
OLD WESLEY 29 NAAS 19, Energia Park
Scorers: Old Wesley: Tries: Reuben Pim, Tommy O’Callaghan, Alex Molloy, James O’Donovan; Cons: Ian Cassidy 3; Pen: Ian Cassidy
Naas: Tries: Fionn Higgins, Paulie Tolofua, Peter Osborne; Cons: Peter Osborne 2
HT: Old Wesley 22 Naas 7
OLD WESLEY: Alex Molloy; Tommy O’Callaghan, Eoin Deegan, James O’Donovan, David Poff; Ian Cassidy, Ben Murphy; Harry Noonan, Ben Burns, Sam Kenny, JJ O’Dea, Iain McGann (capt), Will Fay, Josh Pim, Reuben Pim.
Replacements: Robert Byrne, Rob O’Donovan, Alastair Hoban, Brendan Monahan, Paddy McKenzie, Charlie O’Regan.
NAAS: Peter Osborne (capt); Donal Conroy, Matt Stapleton, Craig Ronaldson, Fionn Higgins; Bryan Croke, Connor Halpenny; Adam Coyle, John Sutton, Peter King, Paddy O’Flaherty, David Benn, Ryan Casey, Will O’Brien, Paulie Tolofua.
Replacements: Connor Johnson, Jack Barry, Cillian Dempsey, Paul Monahan, Tim Murphy, Sam Cahill.
DIVISION 2A:
- UL Bohemians 30 Nenagh Ormond 24, UL Arena (played on Friday)
- Ballymena 26 Dolphin 47, Eaton Park
- Buccaneers 17 Old Crescent 24, Dubarry Park
- Queen’s University 26 MU Barnhall 15, Dub Lane
- Rainey Old Boys 24 Cashel 21, Hatrick Park
DIVISION 2B:
- Belfast Harlequins 23 Blackrock College 20, Deramore Park
- Galwegians 41 Dungannon 30, Crowley Park
- Greystones 53 Ballina 28, Dr Hickey Park
- Sligo 22 Galway Corinthians 28, Hamilton Park
- Wanderers 45 Malahide 15, Merrion Road
DIVISION 2C:
- Bangor 41 City of Derry 25, Upritchard Park
- Bruff 33 Midleton 22, Kilballyowen Park
- Enniscorthy 41 Tullamore 14, Alcast Park
- Skerries 40 Clonmel 14, Holmpatrick
- Sunday‘s Well 46 Omagh Academicals 12, Musgrave Park