Ulster Bank League: Division 1A Review
Two wins out of two have Lansdowne in table-topping form in Division 1A, while St. Mary’s College, Young Munster, UCD and Garryowen all bounced back with their opening victories of the campaign today.
ULSTER BANK LEAGUE: RESULTS ROUND-UP
CLONTARF 20 ST. MARY’S COLLEGE 23, Castle Avenue
Scorers: Clontarf: Try: Vakh Abdaladze, Tony Ryan, Royce Burke Flynn; Con: Rob Keogh; Pen: Rob Keogh
St. Mary’s College: Tries: Brian McGovern, Paddy O’Driscoll; Cons: Sean Kearns 2; Pens: Sean Kearns 3
HT: Clontarf 12 St. Mary’s College 17
St. Mary’s College claimed the scalp of defending Division 1A champions Clontarf with a fine 23-20 win at Castle Avenue this afternoon.
Young out-half Sean Kearns played a leading role once again for Mary’s, completing his 13-point kicking haul with the decisive penalty in the 77th minute.
The visitors gave starts to flanker Caelan Doris, who captained the Ireland Under-18 Schools team last season, and ex-Trinity centre and skipper Paddy Lavelle, while Ireland Sevens international Terry Kennedy made the move to full-back.
Kearns converted tries from tighthead and captain Brian McGovern and scrum half Paddy O’Driscoll to give Jamie Cornett’s eager side a hard-earned 17-12 interval lead.
In what was a forwards-dominated encounter, O’Driscoll was the only back to cross the whitewash with Tarf’s three touchdowns coming from props Vakh Abdaladze and Royce Burke Flynn and hard-carrying number 8 Tony Ryan. The north Dubliners’ back-line misfired on a number of occasions.
Ryan’s score, coupled with a Rob Keogh penalty in the 74th minute, saw the title holders square things up at 20-all, but Kearns’ right boot guided Mary’s to their first victory of the league campaign.
CLONTARF: Rob Keogh; Rob McGrath, Conor O’Brien, Matt D’Arcy, Michael Brown; Evan Ryan, Dermot O’Meara; Vakh Abdaladze, Jonathan Larbery, Royce Burke Flynn, Ben Reilly (capt), Eoghan Browne, Michael Noone, Karl Moran, Anthony Ryan.
Replacements: Rory Litchfield, Neil Reilly, David Moore, Peter du Toit, Jack Power.
ST. MARY’S COLLEGE: Terry Kennedy; Ian O’Neill, Paddy Lavelle, Ivan Dineen, Ryan O’Loughlin; Sean Kearns, Paddy O’Driscoll; Tom O’Reilly, Hugo Kean, Brian McGovern (capt), Ciaran Ruddock, Cathal O’Flaherty, Caelan Doris, David Aspil, Nick McCarthy.
Replacements: Richard Halpin, Emmet Ferron, Ian Cullinane, Mark Fogarty, Zach O’Hagan.
CORK CONSTITUTION 15 YOUNG MUNSTER 37, Temple Hill
Scorers: Cork Constitution: Tries: Shane Daly 2; Con: Tomas Quinlan; Pen: Tomas Quinlan
Young Munster: Tries: Robin Copeland 2, Penalty try, Rob Guerin, Alan Kennedy; Cons: David O’Mahony 3; Pens: David O’Mahony 2
HT: Cork Constitution 10 Young Munster 13
Munster back rower Robin Copeland touched down twice as Young Munster roared their way to a 37-15 bonus point success at Cork Constitution.
Gaining some revenge for last April’s semi-final defeat at Temple Hill, blindside Copeland’s try on the stroke of half-time had the Cookies leading 13-10.
In a slow-burning first half, a Tomas Quinlan penalty had put Cork Con on course for a 10-0 lead. Ireland Under-20 winger Shane Daly, playing at full-back, crossed in the 20th minute following a smashing break from Cian Barry.
However, Munsters, who brought two busloads of vocal supporters to the game, snapped back with successive penalties from winger David O’Mahony after 23 and 27 minutes.
Copeland’s first score, coupled with a penalty try and a Rob Guerin effort, saw the visitors seize control up front and they were 25-10 to the good before the elusive Daly hit back for Con with his second try in the 63rd minute.
Having been beaten at home by Old Belvedere in a 71-point thriller last week, the Limerick men were determined to make amends on Leeside, and further tries from replacement Alan Kennedy and Copeland sealed their five-point return.
CORK CONSTITUTION: Shane Daly; Liam O’Connell, Ned Hodson, Niall Kenneally (capt), Rob Jermyn; Tomas Quinlan, John Poland; Gavin Duffy, Max Abbott, Ger Sweeney, Brian Hayes, Conor Kindregan, Graeme Lawler, James Murphy, Evan Mintern.
Replacements: Liam O’Connor, Rory Burke, Sonny Dwyer, Jason Higgins, Cian Barry.
YOUNG MUNSTER: Alan Tynan; David O’Mahony, Calvin Nash, Mark Doyle, Jack Harrington; Abrie Griesel, Rob Guerin; Gavin Ryan, Ger Slattery, Colm Skehan, Alan Ross, Michael Madden, Robin Copeland, Dan Walsh, Sean Rennison.
Replacements: Peter Meyer, Evan Ryan, Alan Kennedy, Elie Mundu, Scott Allen.
DUBLIN UNIVERSITY 13 UCD 23, College Park
Scorers: Dublin University: Try: Colm Hogan; Con: Jack McDermott; Pens: Jack McDermott 2
UCD: Tries: Peadar Timmins, Jamie Glynn; Cons: Tim Foley 2; Pens: Tim Foley 3
HT: Dublin University 6 UCD 16
UCD opened their win account in Division 1A for this season by overcoming fierce rivals Trinity on a 23-13 scoreline.
In front of a large crowd at College Park, out-half Tim Foley (13 points) and try-scoring number 8 Peadar Timmins were two key men for Andy Skehan’s victors.
Wingers Adam Byrne and Barry Daly bolstered UCD’s Leinster contingent, and it was Daly’s brilliant surge through the heart of the hosts’ defence that led to Timmins’ ninth-minute score.
Foley, a key figure for Cistercian College Roscrea in their Leinster Schools Senior Cup triumph in 2015, converted and added a penalty soon after for 10-0.
A Jack McDermott penalty, 25 minutes in, got Dublin University up and running, and although an extended spell of pressure saw McDermott split the posts again, two more penalties from the assured Foley had UCD 16-6 ahead at the interval.
Trinity’s Ireland Under-19 full-back Colm Hogan notched a terrific individual try in the 53rd minute to set up a nail-biting finish. Hogan cleverly chipped over the top and won the race to the bouncing ball, with McDermott’s kick making it 16-13.
McDermott missed a 71st minute penalty from a tricky angle and Foley was also wide at the other end, as the tension increased both on the pitch and off it.
It was UCD who had the final say thanks to their club captain Jamie Glynn, who came on as a replacement for Leinster scrum half Nick McCarthy. Glynn finished off a prolonged attack with a try under the posts, converted by Foley for a 10-point winning margin.
DUBLIN UNIVERSITY: Colm Hogan; Bryan Mollen, Michael Courtney, Kyle Dixon, Evan Dixon, Jack McDermott, Rowan Osborne; Eric O’Sullivan, Paddy Finlay, Andrew Keating, Cian O’Dwyer, Jack Burke (capt), Sam Pim, Ross Todd, Pierce Dargan.
Replacements: James O’Donovan, Daniel Joyce, Liam Cronin, Fintan Murphy, Dermot O’Flynn.
UCD: Hugo Keenan; Adam Byrne, Stephen Murphy (capt), Jimmy O’Brien, Barry Daly; Tim Foley, Nick McCarthy; Andrew Porter, Sean McNulty, Jeremy Loughman, Emmet MacMahon, James Ryan, Greg Jones, Will Connors, Peadar Timmins.
Replacements: Gordon Frayne, Liam Hyland, Jack Regan, Jamie Glynn, Tom Fletcher.
LANSDOWNE 29 TERENURE COLLEGE 5, Aviva Stadium main pitch
Scorers: Lansdowne: Tries: Penalty try, Tom Daly, Ntinga Mpiko, Peter Dooley; Cons: Scott Deasy 3; Pen: Scott Deasy
Terenure College: Try: Conor Finn
HT: Lansdowne 10 Terenure College 0
Lansdowne have pushed three points clear at the top of Division 1A following a 29-5 bonus point win over Terenure College.
Mike Ruddock’s men now stand as the only team yet to taste defeat after the opening two rounds. Terenure, meanwhile, lie bottom of the table after their second defeat.
Running out on the main pitch at the Aviva Stadium, Lansdowne quickly established control of the scrum through their powerful front row of Peter Dooley, Tyrone Moran and captain Ian Prendiville.
The Terenure scrum coughed up three penalties inside the opening 24 minutes and with their loosehead Kieran Moloney in the sin-bin on the half hour mark, Lansdowne duly forced a penalty try. Scott Deasy converted to add to his earlier penalty, giving the hosts a 10-0 interval advantage.
Defences were on top for much of the second period, however the 2015 champions strung together three tries in the final quarter to claim their second bonus point of the campaign.
Centre and Ireland Sevens captain Tom Daly, who was partnered by Mark Roche in midfield, crossed the whitewash as did front rowers Ntinga Mpiko and Dooley. ‘Nure salvaged some pride with an injury-time effort from centre Conor Finn.
LANSDOWNE: Eamonn Mills; Charlie McMickan, Mark Roche, Tom Daly, Daniel McEvoy; Scott Deasy, Alan Bennie; Peter Dooley, Tyrone Moran, Ian Prendiville (capt), Josh O’Rourke, Stephen Gardiner, Joe McSwiney, Willie Earle, Max Deegan.
Replacements: Tadgh McElroy, Ntinga Mpiko, Jack O’Sullivan, Matthew D’Arcy, Jake Howlett.
TERENURE COLLEGE: Ian Hanly; Jake Swaine, Conor Finn, James O’Donoghue, Sam Coghlan Murray; Marc Hiney, Mark O’Neill; Kieran Moloney, Adam Clarkin, Oisin Heffernan, Cathal Deans, John Dever, Robert Duke, James O’Neill, Kyle McCoy (capt).
Replacements: Robbie Smyth, Gary Hamilton, Eoin Joyce, Thomas Burke, Robbie Murphy.
OLD BELVEDERE 11 GARRYOWEN 13, Anglesea Road
Scorers: Old Belvedere: Try: Shane McDonald; Pens: Willie Staunton 2
Garryowen: Try: Andrew O’Byrne; Con: Neil Cronin; Pens: Neil Cronin 2
HT: Old Belvedere 5 Garryowen 7
Much-fancied Old Belvedere fell to a 13-11 defeat at the hands of Garryowen in a closely-fought contest at Anglesea Road.
Centre Andrew O’Byrne’s 25th-minute try, converted by captain Neil Cronin, gave the Light Blues a 7-5 lead for half-time.
Shane McDonald, who deputised for the absent Daniel Riordan at full-back, had responded for ‘Belvo just before the break, running in his third try in the space of a week.
A well-struck penalty from number 10 Willie Staunton, five minutes into the second half, should have seen the Dubliners push on, but Garryowen, back-boned by a superb defensive performance, had the measure of them in the end.
Cronin and Staunton swapped penalties before the former drilled over the match-winning three-pointer with little over ten minutes remaining.
The result saw Garryowen get one over on their former head coach Paul Cunningham who fielded three ex-Light Blues in the ‘Belvo pack – front rowers Ed Rossiter and Declan Lavery and newly-signed number 8 Dave Sherry.
OLD BELVEDERE: Shane McDonald; Sean Coughlan, Ben Woods, John Kennedy (capt), David Brandon; Willie Staunton, Aaron Sheehan; Adam Howard, Ed Rossiter, Declan Lavery, Jack Kelly, Karl Miller, Michael Oyuga, Paul Pritchard, Dave Sherry.
Replacements: Cathal O’Flynn, Jonathan Inglis, Tom de Jongh, Robert Cruess Callaghan, Charlie Rock.
GARRYOWEN: Liam Coombes; Steve McMahon, Andrew O’Byrne, Joey Purcell, Peadar Collins; Jamie Gavin, Neil Cronin (capt); Niall Horan, Eamon Costello, Mike O’Donnell, Bailey Faloon, Sean O’Connor, Johnny Keane, Elliot Fitzgerald, Dara Shanahan.
Replacements: Caolan Moloney, Jack Mullany, Dave McCarthy, Hugh O’Brien-Cunningham, Ronan O’Halloran.