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Queen’s Captain Clarke Leading By Example In Try-Scoring Stakes

Queen's University captain Alexander Clarke has started their first Division 1B campaign with three tries in two games ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

The two University clubs in Division 1B, UCC and Queen’s University, boast the leading points and try scorers respectively, following an action-packed first two rounds.

Queen’s University captain Alexander Clarke marked his 100th senior appearance for the club with a try, turning in a player-of-the-match performance in their superb 50-33 victory at Naas.

The result was a big boost to Derek Suffern’s young side following their historic promotion last April. Former Ulster Academy hooker Clarke is the division’s current top try scorer with three to his name already.

There are 14 players on two tries each, including summer signing Leandro Ramirez who ran in a brace of tries for St. Mary’s College, the table toppers, away to Old Wesley. Centre Jack Delaney also crossed twice during Garryowen’s home win over Old Belvedere.

UCC opened their win account in the midlands, beating Buccaneers 36-20 with deadly-accurate centre Daniel Squires kicking 21 points. He is the division’s top points scorer with 31, just two ahead of Mick O’Gara from St. Mary’s.

O’Gara, another talented goal-kicking centre, landed seven kicks for an 18-point haul at Energia Park on Saturday afternoon. Old Wesley’s own Ian Cassidy is on 20 points after their first two matches.

Like Cassidy, Ulster Academy out-half James Humphreys is averaging 10 points per game for Queen’s, while Shane O’Riordan, Highfield’s drop goal hero against Blackrock College, has scored 19 points so far.

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ENERGIA ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE MEN’S DIVISION 1B – TOP SCORERS AFTER ROUND 2:

POINTS –

31 – Daniel Squires (UCC)

29 – Mick O’Gara (St. Mary’s College)

20 – Ian Cassidy (Old Wesley), James Humphreys (Queen’s University)

19 – Shane O’Riordan (Highfield)

15 – Alexander Clarke (Queen’s University), Jack Oliver (Garryowen)

11 – Peter Osborne (Naas)

10 – Graham Curtis (Blackrock College), Conor Dean (St. Mary’s College), Jack Delaney (Garryowen), Will Fay (Old Wesley), Jamie Harding (St. Mary’s College), Jonny Hunter (Queen’s University), Stephen Mannion (Buccaneers), Cian McCann (Buccaneers), Peter O’Beirne (Old Belvedere), Dave O’Sullivan (Highfield), Leandro Ramirez (St. Mary’s College), Daniel Sancery (St. Mary’s College), Jack Sheridan (Naas), Matthew Victory (Buccaneers), Ronan Watters (St. Mary’s College), David Wilkinson (Old Belvedere)

8 – Peter Quirke (Blackrock College)

6 – Oliver Coffey (Blackrock College)

5 – Tadhg Brophy (Naas), Louis Bruce (UCC), James Burke (Blackrock College), Killian Coghlan (UCC), Travis Coomey (Highfield), Sean Condon (UCC), Donal Conroy (Naas), James Conroy (Garryowen), Matthew Cosgrove (Blackrock College), Ryan Davies (Queen’s University), Josh Dixon (Blackrock College), Calum Dowling (Old Belvedere), Patrick Dowling (Old Belvedere), Timothy Duggan (Highfield), Ben Gibson (Queen’s University), Cronan Gleeson (Old Wesley), Michael Hanley (Buccaneers), Daniel Hawkshaw (Buccaneers), James Kelly (Buccaneers), Lukas Kenny (Queen’s University), Harry Long (Queen’s University), Eanna McCarthy (UCC), Lorcan McLoughlin (Queen’s University), Alex Molloy (Old Wesley), Paul Monahan (Naas), Howard Noonan (Old Wesley), John O’Callaghan (Highfield), Tommy O’Callaghan (Old Wesley), James O’Loughlin (Naas), Sam O’Sullivan (UCC), Reuben Pim (Old Wesley), Nathan Randles (Old Wesley), Cian Reilly (Blackrock College), Andrew Savage (Blackrock College), Charlie Sheridan (Naas)

4 – Sam Cahill (Naas)

3 – Bryan Croke (Naas), James Fennelly (Blackrock College)

TRIES –

3 – Alexander Clarke (Queen’s University)

2 – Graham Curtis (Blackrock College), Conor Dean (St. Mary’s College), Jack Delaney (Garryowen), Will Fay (Old Wesley), Jamie Harding (St. Mary’s College), Jonny Hunter (Queen’s University), Cian McCann (Buccaneers), Peter O’Beirne (Old Belvedere), Dave O’Sullivan (Highfield), Leandro Ramirez (St. Mary’s College), Daniel Sancery (St. Mary’s College), Jack Sheridan (Naas), Matthew Victory (Buccaneers), Ronan Watters (St. Mary’s College)

1 – Tadhg Brophy (Naas), Louis Bruce (UCC), James Burke (Blackrock College), Killian Coghlan (UCC), Travis Coomey (Highfield), Sean Condon (UCC), Donal Conroy (Naas), James Conroy (Garryowen), Matthew Cosgrove (Blackrock College), Ryan Davies (Queen’s University), Josh Dixon (Blackrock College), Calum Dowling (Old Belvedere), Patrick Dowling (Old Belvedere), Timothy Duggan (Highfield), Ben Gibson (Queen’s University), Cronan Gleeson (Old Wesley), Daniel Hawkshaw (Buccaneers), James Kelly (Buccaneers), Lukas Kenny (Queen’s University), Harry Long (Queen’s University), Eanna McCarthy (UCC), Lorcan McLoughlin (Queen’s University), Alex Molloy (Old Wesley), Paul Monahan (Naas), Howard Noonan (Old Wesley), John O’Callaghan (Highfield), Tommy O’Callaghan (Old Wesley), James O’Loughlin (Naas), Sam O’Sullivan (UCC), Reuben Pim (Old Wesley), Nathan Randles (Old Wesley), Cian Reilly (Blackrock College), Andrew Savage (Blackrock College), Charlie Sheridan (Naas)