Three-Try Trinity Get The Better Of Ballynahinch

Leinster’s Liam Turner was a real ball of energy in Dublin University’s 19-13 Division 1A victory over Ballynahinch at College Park.

ENERGIA MEN’S ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE: DIVISION 1A: Saturday, October 16

DUBLIN UNIVERSITY 19 BALLYNAHINCH 13, College Park
Scorers: Dublin University: Tries: Luis Faria, Marcus Kiely, Anthony Ryan; Cons: Mick O’Kennedy 2
Ballynahinch: Try: Greg Hutley; Con: Greg Hutley; Pens: Greg Hutley 2
HT: Dublin University 7 Ballynahinch 3

Turner’s carrying and line-breaking in midfield, combined with Luis Faria’s impressive footwork from full-back, helped the home side to prevail.

Goal-kicking centre Greg Hutley led the Ballynahinch challenge with all 13 points, including a late try for a losing bonus point.

However, Trinity, who gave game-time to Leinster lock Jack Dunne on his return from an ankle injury, came good during the final 20 minutes.

A converted Faria effort had the students leading 7-6 before flying winger Marcus Kiely opened his account for his new club. Flanker Anthony Ryan sealed the result with a 71st-minute maul try.

Ballynahinch kept the early stages scoreless with a superb try-saving tackle out wide, but they struggled initially to win their own lineout ball and Trinity soon took advantage.

The home pack did the donkey work, building pressure with carries in the ‘Hinch 22 before numbers on the right saw Louis O’Reilly feed Faria to dodge past Aaron Cairns’ challenge and get over in the corner.

A cracking conversion from Mick O’Kennedy made it a seven-point return, with 15 minutes gone. Trinity had the possession to build a stronger lead but ‘Hinch scrambled well in defence.

The Ulstermen got off the mark in the 25th minute, better work in the lineout and a solid maul preceding a very well-struck 35-metre kick from Hutley.

‘Hinch dug deep again in defence to keep the deficit at four points, their improved tackling frustrating Trinity on the stroke of half-time after a brilliant run by centre Turner.

Indeed, Adam Craig’s charges went close to scoring a try of their own before Hutley made it a one-point game with another assured strike in the 52nd minute.

The ever-alert Turner inspired Trinity’s response just three minutes later. He threw a dummy and darted in between two defenders, arcing away from Hutley’s tackle before linking with Giuseppe Coyne who fed Kiely to score from five metres out.

O’Kennedy flung over the conversion, making it 14-6, before a nicely-worked lineout maul – which had Harry Sheridan handing possession down to Dunne – saw blindside Ryan driven over in the right corner.

The conversion from the Trinity out-half bounced back off the post, and while the outcome was effectively decided, Ballynahinch displayed their battling qualities in the final minutes.

They attacked with renewed vigour, forcing the students to concede penalties near their own line and Faria saw yellow after one too many infringements.

In the very final play and from an uncontested scrum in the Trinity 22, Conor McAuley passed to Hutley who got outside his opposite number Gavin Jones to crash over out wide.

Five metres in from the right touchline, Hutley coolly added the all-important conversion to pick up his side’s first point of the new league campaign.

DUBLIN UNIVERSITY: Luis Faria; Rob Russell, Liam Turner, Gavin Jones, Marcus Kiely; Mick O’Kennedy (capt), Louis O’Reilly; Giuseppe Coyne, Mark Nicholson, Thomas Connolly, Jamie Berrisford, Harry Sheridan, Anthony Ryan, Alan Francis, Ronan Murphy.

Replacements: Ben Nel, Bart Vermeulen, Aaron Coleman, Jack Dunne, Cormac King, Aran Egan.

BALLYNAHINCH: Shane Ball; Paddy Wright, Ryan Wilson, Greg Hutley, Aaron Cairns; Jack Milligan, Chris Gibson; Ben Cullen, Tom Stewart, Kyle McCall, Thomas Donnan, Bradley Luney, Zack McCall (capt), Oli Loughead, Callum Irvine.

Replacements: Joshua Hanlon, Harry Simpson, Tom Martin, Diego Vidal Souza, Conor McAuley, Ronan Patterson.