Terenure College tore their chief rivals Corinthians apart in Galway to move four points clear at the summit in Ulster Bank League Division 1B.
Terenure College were at their clinical best during the top of the table clash in Cloonacauneen, matching a ferocious workload up front with some excellent finishing for their six tries in a 57-10 hammering.
It did not look good for Corinthians, who had won their previous six games, once ‘Nure charged into a 20-0 lead by the midpoint of the first half.
Out-half Mark O’Neill kicked two penalties and converted tries from wingers Ian Hanly (2 minutes) and Shane Donovan (15).
Flanker and captain James O’Neill led by example for the visitors, getting the better of Connacht’s Aaron Conneely in the battle of the breakdown and featuring in the build-up to Donovan’s score.
Mark O’Neill converted a try from his brother and half-back partner Kevin O’Neill as ‘Nure led 27-0 at the break, and there was no let-up in the second half as Kevin O’Neill and John Bollard (2) made certain of the bonus point.
Mark O’Neill was in terrific form off the kicking tee too, finishing with 27 points in all, while Donnchadh Phelan and skipper Finn Gormley ran in consolation scores for the well-beaten Galway outfit who missed the injured Sean O’Hagan (ankle).
Buccaneers have climbed above Corinthians into second place on the back of their 41-22 dismissal of Blackrock College at Stradbrook.
Connacht regular Tiernan O’Halloran, Steve Macauley, David Heffernan, Shane Casey, Callum Boland and Shane Layden shared out the tries for the Athlone men.
Bottom side Dublin University ended their wait for their first win of the season as they squeezed past Malone on a 22-20 scoreline at Sydney Parade.
The students outscored the Belfast side by three tries to two, adding a penalty try to efforts from influential centre Colton Cariaga and hard-working full-back Jack Fitzpatrick.
American recruit Carriaga, who is working at Blackrock College, scored in the third minute to get Trinity off the mark, and Fitzpatrick’s effort and the penalty try arrived in a crucial six-minute spell in the second half.
Credit to Malone though as having lost their grip on a 13-5 lead, they battled back to leave Trinity sweating by the finish. A 70th minute converted try edged them back in front at 20-19 before Conor Kearns’ 73rd-minute penalty decided it.
Meanwhile, the division’s two Limerick clubs – UL Bohemians and Shannon – posted victories in the day’s other matches in the second tier.
UL Bohs made it four wins from seven outings with a well-judged 29-13 defeat of hosts Dungannon at Stevenson Park.
Former Munster player Mossy Lawler got among the tries, with hooker Kevin O’Byrne, number 8 Jack O’Donoghue and replacement Shane Boyle also crossing the ‘Gannon whitewash.
Shannon had to wait until injury-time to grab a precious – but very much deserved – 13-9 win over Belfast Harlequins at Thomond Park.
It might have been more comfortable for the home side had young number 10 Gearoid Lyons not fluffed a number of penalty chances.
His opposite number Liam Cambridge landed three first half penalties to have ‘Quins 9-5 in front at the interval with the Shannon try being scored by lively scrum half Rob Guerin.
When Guerin was tackled in the air it afforded Lyons the chance to land his first and only penalty, but a crucial late try from Munster’s Luke O’Dea kept the points at home.
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