Ulster Bank League: Division 2C Review

Old Crescent laid the platform for their latest win with a dominant first half display. Captain Cathal O’Reilly, Kevin Doyle and Marty Ryan all touched down by the half hour mark, and the visitors leaked the bonus point score to Doyle in the 50th minute.

Eugene McGovern’s men added a fifth try through winger Nigel Kerr before Boyne, who have fallen to seventh in the table, gained a consolation seven-pointer ahead of a scoreless final quarter.

Bruff lost for the first time this season as they went down 31-23 to Kanturk at Kilballyowen Park. The Cork side bounced straight back from last week’s home defeat to Crescent.

Ben Martin’s Kanturk charges showed their battling qualities to twice come from behind and level matters at 12-all at the break. Peter Earlie got over in the corner and teak-tough flanker Johnny O’Sullivan’s late effort – his second in as many games – was converted by Conor Cremin.

Cremin’s older brother Sean went on to be the second half’s dominant figure, scoring a hat-trick of tries from full-back to take his tally for the current campaign to five already.

Bruff twice got back to within a single point of the visitors at 18-17 and 24-23, with their own free-scoring full-back Brendan Deady picking up his fifth try in four league matches. They had a penalty try and a John Hogan touchdown in the opening half.

Struggling Sligo notched their first point of this season’s league but were denied a maiden win by a last-minute penalty from Stuart Lee. His accuracy with the boot guided Midleton to a tight 12-11 triumph at Hamilton Park.

A Daire Byrne try had the hosts leading 8-3 at half-time and although an Enda Gavin penalty nudged them closer to victory, Midleton out-half Stuart Lee denied Sligo right at the death with his fourth penalty strike.

Meanwhile, Tullamore registered their second win on the trot with a 24-8 defeat of Leinster rivals Navan at Spollanstown. Back rower Colin Finnerty, who has rejoined the club from Wicklow, was on the end of a forward drive for a seventh minute try.

Karl Dunne converted and slotted two first half penalties for a 17-3 scoreline at the interval, and prop Darragh Lowry crossed the whitewash for the Offaly side’s second and final try.

Dundalk’s late try was mere consolation as Wanderers got back to winning ways with a 30-10 bonus point success at Merrion Road.

There were 18 minutes on the clock when winger Olan Dennehy scored out wide for the hosts, and Rob Clune added the second try by the half hour mark. A third followed almost immediately as solid work from the pack, allied to a breakout by Geoff Mullan, set Wanderers on the attack again and good work from the backs released Eoin O’Donnell for a terrific 30-metre burst to the try-line.

Leading 20-0 at half-time despite two sin-binnings, the Dubliners leaked a penalty goal early in the second period before wrapping up the result with unconverted tries from Niall O’Donoghue and Mullan.

ROUND 4 RESULTS:

Bruff 23 Kanturk 31, Kilballyowen Park
Old Crescent 31 Boyne 16, Rosbrien
Sligo 11 Midleton 12, Hamilton Park
Tullamore 24 Navan 8, Spollanstown
Wanderers 30 Dundalk 10, Merrion Road