RUGBY:
ENERGIA ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE MEN’S DIVISION ROUND-UP -
Terenure College’s eight-match winning streak in Energia All-Ireland League Men’s Division 1A was ended by Young Munster at a foggy Tom Clifford Park.
Shay McCarthy followed up on a Dan Goggin cross-field kick, which was collected by Conor Hayes, to score a decisive 77th-minute try, the Cookies securing a stirring 24-18 win to pull back within a point of the top four.
Terenure had led 12-3 at half-time thanks to tries from Craig Adams and Luke Clohessy, but Dan Walsh, replacement Paulo Leleisiuao and McCarthy all crossed during the second half to steer Gearoid Prendergast’s men to their fourth straight victory.
Adam La Grue’s well-weighted dink through was grounded in the left corner by winger Adams for Terenure’s opening try in the 10th minute. The Cookies got off the mark with a penalty from out-half Evan Cusack.
Following a miscued Munsters lineout, strong running from Colm de Buitléar and Adams brought ‘Nure up close to the line on the half-hour mark. The latter broke past McCarthy and had to be hauled down by Hayes, but quick ball was fed wide for Clohessy to make it 12-3.
The sides lost a player each to the sin bin in Fionn Gibbons and Mick Melia, before Munsters opened their try account within five minutes of the restart. Munster hooker Chris Moore provided the latch for Walsh to force his way over. Cusack’s conversion reduced the arrears to two points.
A Caolan Dooley penalty gave ‘Nure points from a strong spell from their forwards, only for the hosts’ burly replacement prop Leleisiuao to prove unstoppable from a few metres out in the 65th minute.
It was a double setback for ‘Nure who lost Adam Tuite to the bin, along with Cusack kicking Young Munster ahead at 17-15.
Into the final minutes, the Limerick men set up a lineout platform inside the ‘Nure 22. Goggin spotted space out wide, kicking out to Hayes who was brought to ground, but a quick recycle saw McCarthy finish smartly.
Cusack’s well-struck conversion was cancelled out by a Dooley penalty, which was enough for a losing bonus point for ‘Nure. They were unable to capitalise on some late possession and territory as Munsters held on.
Captain Matt D’Arcy got amongst the tries on his 32nd birthday as his Clontarf team saw off Garryowen 36-10 to move within three points of Terenure at the summit.
Bottom side Garryowen were still in contention at half-time, trailing 12-10 on Castle Avenue’s 4G pitch. Flanker Johnny Keane barged over for their try, with a closing penalty from Jack Delaney making it a two-point game.
Clontarf applied most of the early pressure, Ben Griffin being hauled down short before a fourth-minute lineout maul propelled fellow front rower Dylan Donnellan over in the left corner to make it 5-0.
There were some positive early signs for Garryowen, but Brian Gleeson’s sin-binning for a high tackle on Hugh Cooney, and skipper Jamie Heuston kicking the ball dead from a penalty added to their frustration.
The fast-breaking Michael Courtney then blew a try-scoring opportunity for ‘Tarf when delaying his pass to the supporting Tadhg Bird. A Donnellan break down the left touchline also went unrewarded.
Despite a promising position for the Light Blues being spoiled by a clearing penalty won by hooker Donnellan, they soon came again on the back of a fine touchfinder from Heuston. The pack battered away before Keane muscled over from a few metres out.
Delaney’s conversion briefly split the sides at 7-5, Heuston having to make a try-saving tackle on Tony Ryan who was up in support of JJ O’Dea’s initial barnstorming run past halfway.
Crucially, the visitors had number 8 Kieran Roche binned before the break, and ‘Tarf capitalised with Donnellan crossing from a 36th-minute drive. It was his ninth try of the campaign, putting him out on his own at the top of the division’s scoring charts.
Delaney replied with a well-struck penalty, punishing Ryan for infringing at a ruck, yet Andy Wood’s charges managed to find another gear or two on the restart to pull clear.
Keane saw yellow for repeated offences near the Garryowen line, and a series of scrum penalties led to a penalty try for the home side who moved into a 19-10 lead.
The backs then got in on the act, centre Courtney using a stolen lineout to glide out to the left and send winger Cooney over for the bonus point try.
With no one claiming Delaney’s restart kick, it bounced up for the onrushing D’Arcy to dart past halfway and outpace the covering Heuston to go over in the right corner.
Mick Kearney and Brian Deeny then stole successive lineouts, following up was Cooney who broke free down the left and passed back inside for Leinster-capped scrum-half Ben Murphy to complete a six-try success.
Meanwhile, Division 1B leaders Buccaneers lost for the first time in eight rounds. An 81st-minute penalty from replacement Craig Ronaldson saw Naas claim a hard-fought 24-21 victory in a game that was played at Tullow RFC.
ENERGIA ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE MEN’S DIVISIONS – ROUND 9 RESULTS: Saturday, December 10
DIVISION 1A:
CLONTARF 36 GARRYOWEN 10, Castle Avenue 4G pitch
Scorers: Clontarf: Tries: Dylan Donnellan 2, Penalty try, Hugh Cooney, Matt D’Arcy, Ben Murphy; Cons: Conor Kelly 2, Pen try con
Garryowen: Try: Johnny Keane; Con: Jack Delaney; Pen: Jack Delaney
HT: Clontarf 12 Garryowen 10
CLONTARF: Tadhg Bird; Seni Reilly Ashiru, Michael Courtney, Matt D’Arcy (capt), Hugh Cooney; Conor Kelly, Ben Murphy; Darragh Bolger, Dylan Donnellan, Ben Griffin, Brian Deeny, Mick Kearney, Cormac Daly, JJ O’Dea, Tony Ryan.
Replacements: Barry Gray, Ivan Soroka, Ed Kelly, Angus Lloyd, Aitzol Arenzana King, Paul Deeny.
GARRYOWEN: Jamie Heuston (capt); Henry Buttimer, Liam Coombes, JJ O’Neill, Jamie Shanahan; Jack Delaney, Evan Maher; Ben O’Sullivan, Larry Kelly, Darragh McCarthy, Scott Leahy, Brian Gleeson, Rhys O’Malley, Johnny Keane, Kieran Roche.
Replacements: Dean Fanning, Dan Geoghegan, Mikey Sheahan, Matt Sheehan, Colm Quilligan.
YOUNG MUNSTER 24 TERENURE COLLEGE 18, Tom Clifford Park
Scorers: Young Munster: Tries: Dan Walsh, Paulo Leleisiuao, Shay McCarthy; Cons: Evan Cusack 3; Pen: Evan Cusack
Terenure College: Tries: Craig Adams, Luke Clohessy; Con: Caolan Dooley; Pens: Caolan Dooley 2
HT: Young Munster 3 Terenure College 12
YOUNG MUNSTER: Shay McCarthy; Conor Hayes, Fionn Gibbons, Dan Goggin, Conor Phillips; Evan Cusack, Adam Maher; David Begley, Dan Walsh, Conor Bartley, Tom Goggin, Eoin O’Connor, Alan Kennedy (capt), Ronan O’Sullivan, Bailey Faloon.
Replacements: Chris Moore, George Jacobs, Paulo Leleisiuao, Sean Rigney, Donnchadh O’Callaghan, Harry Fleming.
TERENURE COLLEGE: Adam La Grue; Stephen O’Neill, Colm de Buitléar, Caolan Dooley, Craig Adams; Callum Smith, Alan Bennie; Marcus Hannan, Sean McNulty, Adam Tuite, Harrison Brewer (capt), Mick Melia, Adam Melia, Luke Clohessy, Conall Boomer.
Replacements: John McKee, Andy Keating, Mike Murphy, Jordan Coghlan, James Thornton, Sam Coghlan Murray.
BALLYNAHINCH v UCD – Postponed
DUBLIN UNIVERSITY v CORK CONSTITUTION – Postponed
LANSDOWNE v SHANNON – Postponed
DIVISION 1B:
NAAS 24 BUCCANEERS 21, Tullow RFC
Scorers: Naas: Tries: Charlie Sheridan, Donal Conroy; Con: Sam Cahill; Pens: Sam Cahill 3, Craig Ronaldson
Buccaneers: Tries: Cian McCann, Sean O’Connell, Josh O’Connor; Cons: Michael Hanley 3
HT: Naas 16 Buccaneers 7
NAAS: Fionn Higgins; Donal Conroy, Charlie Sheridan, Henry Smith, Sam Cahill; Bryan Croke, Oscar Cawley; Jack Barry, Tadhg Dooley, Adam Coyle, Paul Monahan (capt), Patrick O’Flaherty, Mark Dennis, Will O’Brien, Eoin Walsh.
Replacements: Nato Kiripati, Jack Coyle, David Benn, Cillian Dempsey, Craig Ronaldson, Matt Stapleton.
BUCCANEERS: Michael Hanley; Josh O’Connor, Shane Layden, Stephen Mannion, Saul O’Carroll; Harry West, Will Reilly; James Kelly, Steveni Lombard, Martin Staunton (capt), Ruairi Byrne, Danny Qualter, Sean O’Connell, Cian McCann, Ciaran Booth.
Replacements: Oisin Dolan, Cedric Fokam, Fionn McDonnell, Rory O’Connor, Tom Shine, Orrin Burgess.
BANBRIDGE v OLD WESLEY – Postponed
MALONE v CITY OF ARMAGH – Postponed
ST. MARY’S COLLEGE v HIGHFIELD – Postponed
UCC v OLD BELVEDERE – Postponed
DIVISION 2A:
Ballymena v Queen’s University – Postponed
Cashel v Blackrock College – Postponed
Dolphin 28 Old Crescent 31, Musgrave Park
Nenagh Ormond v Navan – Postponed
UL Bohemians v MU Barnhall – Postponed
DIVISION 2B:
Sligo 7 Galway Corinthians 24, Hamilton Park
Belfast Harlequins v Malahide – Postponed
Galwegians 41 Enniscorthy 18, Crowley Park
Greystones 20 Wanderers 19, Dr Hickey Park
Rainey Old Boys v Dungannon – Postponed
DIVISION 2C:
Clonmel 26 Sunday’s Well 5, CBS High School Clonmel
Midleton v Bruff – Postponed
Omagh Academicals 15 Instonians 42, Thomas Mellon Playing Fields
Skerries 27 Bangor 20, Holmpatrick
Tullamore v Ballina – Postponed