‘Stones, Inst To Go Head-To-Head

Promoted Greystones won through to their second successive AIB League Division Three final by striding past Suttonians, while Belfast’s Instonians edged Clonakilty thanks to a 16-point comeback.

Promoted Greystones won through to their second successive AIB League Division Three final by striding past Suttonians, while Belfast’s Instonians edged Clonakilty thanks to a 16-point comeback.

AIB League Division Three Semi-Finals: Saturday, April 30

Clonakilty 14 Instonians 16, Shannonvale Cross
Scorers: Clonakilty: Tries: Derek Dillon, David Cookson; Cons: Alfie Harte
Instonians: Tries: Gareth McClintock, Mike McKeever; Pens: Sean Flynn 2

Clonakilty, who bravely went down 25-15 in last weekend’s Division 2 relegation/promotion play-off at Barnhall, thought their luck was in at Shannonvale as Derek Dillon and David Cookson grabbed early tries.

Backed by the wind, full-back Dillon weaved through for a 13th-minute try and he was involved again on the half-hour as scrum-half Cookson scooted over for flanker Alfie Harte to convert.

Inst, whose travelling support had dubbed their trip south ‘Black Pudding Or Bust’, kept in the hunt through a Sean Flynn penalty before the break.

With their last AIL trophy the Division Two title back in 1994, Inst made use of some slack Clon defending in the second half as wingers Mike McKeever and Gareth McClintock had too much gas for the home cover.

McClintock’s effort on 63 minutes came just after an agonising penalty miss from Clon’s Harte. Flynn kicked a crucial 30-metre penalty to put the Ulstermen ahead for the first time six minutes later, and they maintained that two-point buffer manfully to the finish.

Greystones 26 Suttonians 0, Dr Hickey Park
Scorers: Greystones: Tries: Dave McKechnie 2, Rob Connolly; Con: Warren Edwards; Pens: Edwards 3

County Wicklow’s finest Greystones – armed with fifteen wins from 16 outings in this season’s league proper – proved too classy for a game Suttonians side, winning 26-0 at Dr Hickey Park.

The result did owe much to two sin-binnings for the visitors as left winger Noel Hehir and loosehead prop Ciaran Kavanagh received yellow cards in either half.

Dave McKechnie burst through for a two-try blitz in the second half.

The speedster ran 60 metres to claim his first and then on the hour mark, he grabbed a second, evading the right wing challenges of full-back Daire Higgins – who impressed in attack for the visitors – and winger Joe Walsh to score.

Flanker Rob Connolly gobbled up the ground late on to score incredibly his sixteenth try of a 17-game season in experienced campaigners’ ‘Stones’ 192nd AIL fixture.