AIB Cup: Results Round-Up

2008/09 AIB CUP – SECOND ROUND: Saturday, November 1

DOLPHIN 64 MALONE 0, Musgrave Park

Scorers: Dolphin: Tries: Paul Hurley 3, Timmy O’Callaghan, Gary O’Keeffe, James Coughlan 2, Barry O’Mahony, Robbie Allen, Rory Kenneally; Cons: Barry Keeshan 7
Malone: –
HT: Dolphin 29 Malone 0

Dolphin rewrote the history books at Musgrave Park on Saturday afternoon as they thumped Malone 64-0 to ease through to the third round of the AIB Cup.

David O’Mahony’s side were in fine form as they ran in ten tries on the way to recording the club’s biggest ever AIB League or Cup win.

The Belfast visitors did not know what hit them as Dolphin’s Paul Hurley, Timmy O’Callaghan, Gary O’Keeffe and James Coughlan shared out four first half tries.

There was no let up from the hosts, after the break, as Barry O’Mahony, Hurley (2), Coughlan, Robbie Allen and Rory Kenneally all mercilessly crossed the whitewash.

GARRYOWEN 37 THOMOND 13, Dooradoyle

Scorers: Garryowen: Tries: Ciaran O’Boyle 2, Lorcan Bourke, Conor Hartigan; Cons: Conor Kilroy 3, Willie Staunton; Pens: Conor Kilroy 3
Thomond: Tries: Declan Cusack, Brian Buckley; Pen: Declan Cusack
HT: Garryowen 20 Thomond 3

In front 20-3 at the interval, Garryowen gave one of their best displays of the season when they outgunned Thomond at Dooradoyle.

Ciaran O’Boyle scored two tries for the light blues, for whom full-back Conor Kilroy was once again in superb kicking form.

He landed three penalties and converted three of the four tries for a personal haul of 15 points.

Lorcan Bourke and Conor Hartigan were the other try scorers in a one-sided affair with Willie Staunton also landing a conversion.

Thomond’s best performer was Declan Cusack, who got one of their two tries. He also kicked a penalty with the other try being scored by Brian Buckley.

OLD BELVEDERE 25 BALLYMENA 22, Anglesea Road (after extra-time)

Scorers: Old Belvedere: Tries: Marcus McAllister, David Mongan, Kieran Hurrell, Leo Auva’a; Con: Eamonn Fitzgerald; Pen: Ruairi Cushion
Ballymena: Tries: Peter Budina, Ian Caldwell, Sam McKinney; Cons: Tommy Woods 2; Pen: Tommy Woods
HT: Old Belvedere 12 Ballymena 15

Scrum half Ruairi Cushion was the hero for Old Belvedere as he landed an extra-time penalty to end Ballymena’s resistance at Anglesea Road.

In an epic battle, Belvedere prevailed after two periods of extra-time, during which Cushion, the hosts’ third place-kicker of the afternoon, managed to split the posts.

The Dublin 4 outfit led 12-0 early on thanks to tries from Marcus McAllister and David Mongan, with Eamonn Fitzgerald kicking one conversion.

But Ballymena bounced back to end the first half 15-12 ahead – Peter Budina and captain Ian Caldwell both touched down and Kiwi Tommy Woods kicked the other five points.

An intercept try from Woods’ opposite number, Kieran Hurrell, saw Belvedere shoot back into the lead after the restart.

The drama continued as a try from Sam McKinney, the son of former Ireland and Lions player Stewart McKinney, had Ballymena leading 22-17.

Leo Auva’a then sprung into space to score Belvedere’s fourth try, and with the conversion missed, the game went to extra-time.

OLD CRESCENT 11 BRUFF 15, Rosbrien

Scorers: Old Crescent: Try: Trevor Bowles; Pens: Brian O’Shea, JP Hartigan
Bruff: Tries: Finbarr Hogan, Brian Cahill; Con: David Maw; Pen: David Maw
HT: Old Crescent 3 Bruff 15

Bruff made a whirlwind start against Old Crescent at Rosbrien and raced into a 15-0 lead before the home side improved in the second half.

Speedster Finbarr Hogan raced in for Bruff’s opening try after 12 minutes. David Maw added a penalty, five minutes later.

In what was all one-way traffic, Brian Cahill had a second Bruff try which Maw converted.

Brian O’Shea gave Old Crescent hope with a second half penalty and JP Hartigan had another penalty.

When Trevor Bowles got in for a try for Old Crescent, it set up this Limerick derby for a grandstand finish.

But of these Division Two rivals, Bruff were the ones to hold their nerve and progress to the next round.

RAINEY OLD BOYS 10 UCD 41, Hatrick Park

Scorers: Rainey Old Boys: Try: Peter Boyle; Con: Michael Glancy; Pen: Michael Glancy
UCD: Tries: Neil Cowhey 3, David Gilchrist, Matt Nagle, Robert Shanley; Cons: Simon Gillespie 4; Pen: Simon Gillespie
HT: Rainey Old Boys 10 UCD 22

Neil Cowhey ended a good news week for UCD by scoring a hat-trick of tries as the students pressed their AIB Cup claims at Rainey.

The appropriately named Hatrick Park bore witness to a lively start from UCD, as out-half Cowhey got over for two tries.

The 20-year-old out-half’s effort helped the visitors to a 22-10 half-time lead. Experienced prop Peter Boyle grabbed Rainey’s only try.

Further touchdowns from Matt Nagle, Robert Shanley and Cowhey saw the winning margin widen for a UCD side that will have the services of prop Ben Barclay for the forseeable future after he decided against declaring for the USA.

ST. MARY’S COLLEGE 13 CORK CONSTITUTION 15, Templeville Road

Scorers: St. Mary’s College: Try: Darragh Fanning; Con: Shaun McCarthy; Pens: Shaun McCarthy 2
Cork Constitution: Tries: Cronan Healy, Denis Leamy; Con: Richie Lane; Pen: Richie Lane
HT: St. Mary’s College 13 Cork Constitution 8

Ireland back rower Denis Leamy helped Cork Constitution to a gripping 15-13 AIB Cup second round win over St. Mary’s College at Templeville Road.

Leamy had shoulder surgery in London in July after postponing the operation to feature for Ireland on the summer tour to New Zealand and Australia.

The Tipperary man’s recovery has been quicker than expected and he followed up his participation this week in Ireland’s training camp in Limerick with a rare outing for Cork Con.

And Leamy, who packed down alongside his brother Ed, proved to be the match winner as his second half converted try saw the Leesiders come from 13-8 down at half-time.

Meeting for the second time in the space of a week – Mary’s won last weekend’s AIB League encounter 16-9 at the same venue – the sides served up another entertaining clash.

Mary’s drew first blood with a Shaun McCarthy penalty, but Richie Lane quickly replied at the other end and then Con winger Cronan Healy tapped a penalty and finished off a fine counter-attacking move for a 23rd minute try.

Mary’s got on top though for the remainder of the first half, with McCarthy kicking a penalty and the Australian then converted a late try for full-back Darragh Fanning, which Conor McPhillips did well to set up.

The Dubliners dug their heels in and held onto their lead until pressure near their try-line told and Leamy burst over from close range.

The Irish international hobbled off just after the hour mark, with a slight leg injury, but his withdrawal was more precautionary than anything.

Lane’s conversion had Con 15-13 ahead and when referee Alain Rolland missed what seemed to be two successive breakdown infringements by the visitors, the Mary’s faithful were incensed.

The home side battled on, teeing up a drop goal attempt for McCarthy. The effort was blocked, however, and Con, who also had Munster’s Denis Hurley in their starting line-up, held on to make the third round draw.

UL BOHEMIANS 18 DUNGANNON 10, Annacotty

Scorers: UL Bohemians: Tries: Martin McPhail 2; Con: Fergal Lawlor; Pens: Fergal Lawlor 2
Dungannon: Try: Chris Cochrane; Con: James Shiells; Drop: James Shiells
HT: UL Bohemians 10 Dungannon 7

Martin McPhail was the star of the show for UL Bohemians as they got the better of Division One rivals Dungannon in an entertaining contest at Annacotty.

The winger and club captain crossed in each half in a game in which former Munster star Shaun Payne went into the action for the home side.

The South African showed off all the skills that made him such a vital member of Munster squad during their Heineken Cup successes.

Fergal Lawlor kicked an early penalty for the home side but they soon conceded a breakaway try, which was scored by Chris Cochrane and converted by James Shiells.

Shiells also dropped a goal but a second penalty by Lawlor sealed it for the home side.

More AIB Cup reports – click here.