O’Gara Piles On Points As #EnergiaAIL Division 1B’s Top Scorer

St. Mary’s College goal-kicking centre, Mick O’Gara, was out on his own as the Energia All-Ireland League Men’s Division 1B top points scorer, finishing 57 points clear of his nearest rival.

St. Mary’s won 17 of their 18 games as they were crowned Division 1B champions, ending a six-year absence from the top flight. They were the division’s leading scorers, racking up 558 points, 161 of which were scored by the sharpshooting O’Gara.

As well as impressing from the kicking tee, the former Pres Bray and Leinster and Ireland underage player contributed four tries. He was part of an influential 10-12 axis alongside Conor Dean, the ex-Connacht out-half.

O’Gara’s closest challenger was UCC out-half Cian Whooley, who tallied up 104 as the Cork students finished sixth in the table. Two points behind him was Munster Academy scrum half Jack Oliver, who helped Garryowen to gain promotion via the play-offs.

Old Wesley, Old Belvedere, and Queen’s University were also in play-off action, with the ever-accurate Ian Cassidy, David Wilkinson, and James Humphreys taking their hauls for the season to 101, 99, and 96 points respectively.

Belvedere out-half Wilkinson (pictured below) was in brilliant form in the play-off semi-final against Shannon, kicking 23 points on Thomond Park’s back pitch. However, Munster Senior Cup champions Garryowen came out on top in last Saturday’s promotion decider.

Meanwhile, Old Wesley centre Alex Molloy crossed twice in their final match of the regular season to draw level with Naas ace Donal Conroy at the top of the division’s try-scoring charts.

Molloy and Conroy displayed their finishing skills with 12 tries each, just one ahead of Jack Sheridan. Indeed, Naas’ Sheridan brothers ran in 19 tries between them, with centre Charlie touching down eight times.

The try-scoring contributions of Conroy (pictured below) and the Sheridan siblings helped the Cobras to avoid finishing in the bottom two, while Wesley claimed second spot in the standings, aided by the consistent form of Molloy, who bagged a hat-trick against Mary’s in March.

Similar to Clontarf’s Dylan Donnellan in Division 1A, Old Belvedere hooker Calum Dowling was unstoppable at times from lineout mauls. He closed out the campaign with 10 tries, a total matched by Garryowen captain Bryan Fitzgerald, and Mary’s full-back Conor Hayes.

There are notable mentions too for young Buccaneers back rower Cian McCann, who weighed in with eight tries, the same amount accumulated by versatile Queen’s University back Jonny Hunter. He finished the season strongly with four tries in five games.

Keep up to date with all the latest news in our dedicated website hub at www.irishrugby.ie/energiaail and follow #EnergiaAIL on social media channels.

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

POINTS –

161 – Mick O’Gara (St. Mary’s College)

104 – Cian Whooley (UCC)

102 – Jack Oliver (Garryowen)

101 – Ian Cassidy (Old Wesley)

99 – David Wilkinson (Old Belvedere)

96 – James Humphreys (Queen’s University)

94 – Shane O’Riordan (Highfield)

91 – Eoin Monahan (Old Wesley)

80 – Oliver Coffey (Blackrock College), Mick O’Kennedy (Old Belvedere)

76 – Daniel Squires (UCC)

71 – Michael Hanley (Buccaneers)

60 – Donal Conroy (Naas), Alex Molloy (Old Wesley)

55 – Kelvin Langan (Garryowen), Jack Sheridan (Naas)

54 – Ben McFarlane (Queen’s University)

53 – Sam Cahill (Naas), Craig Ronaldson (Naas)

52 – Conor Hayes (St. Mary’s College)

50 – Calum Dowling (Old Belvedere), Bryan Fitzgerald (Garryowen)

45 – Colm Quilligan (Garryowen)

42 – James Fennelly (Blackrock College)

40 – Jonny Hunter (Queen’s University), Cian McCann (Buccaneers), Charlie Sheridan (Naas)

37 – Stephen Mannion (Buccaneers)

35 – Hugo Conway (St. Mary’s College), Mark Earle (Buccaneers), Mark Fogarty (St. Mary’s College), Jamie Harding (St. Mary’s College), Peter Osborne (Naas), Nathan Randles (Old Wesley)

34 – Jack Delaney (Garryowen)

30 – Jayden Beckett (Old Belvedere), Louis Bruce (UCC), Donnacha Byrne (Garryowen), Richard Cassidy (Highfield), Max Clein (Garryowen), Colm Hogan (Garryowen), Jack Keating (Old Belvedere), Harry Long (Queen’s University), Jack O’Sullivan (UCC), Joe White (Old Belvedere)

28 – Shane Buckley (Highfield)

25 – Alexander Clarke (Queen’s University), Tom Coughlan (UCC), Graham Curtis (Blackrock College), Will Fay (Old Wesley), Cronan Gleeson (Old Wesley), Niall Hardiman (Blackrock College), David Heavey (Blackrock College), Fionn Higgins (Naas), Lukas Kenny (Queen’s University), Fionn McWey (Old Belvedere), Jack Nelson Murray (St. Mary’s College), Peter O’Beirne (Old Belvedere), Ross Anthony O’Neill (Highfield), Leandro Ramirez (St. Mary’s College), Ariel Robles (Old Belvedere), Daniel Sancery (St. Mary’s College), Jamie Shanahan (Highfield), Jeronimo Ureta Saenz Pena (Garryowen), Ronan Watters (St. Mary’s College), James Wright (Queen’s University)

23 – Conor Dean (St. Mary’s College)

22 – Dylan Hicks (Garryowen)

20 – Ethan Baxter (St. Mary’s College), Jack Boal (Queen’s University), Tadhg Brophy (Naas), Muiris Cleary (Naas), Travis Coomey (Highfield), Miah Cronin (Highfield), Eoin Deegan (Old Wesley), Timothy Duggan (Highfield), Sean Edogbo (UCC), Luke McAuliffe (UCC), Mick McCormack (St. Mary’s College), JJ O’Neill (Garryowen), Reuben Pim (Old Wesley), Peter Quirke (Blackrock College), Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley), Ben Stephens (Old Wesley), Rory Telfer (Queen’s University), Matthew Victory (Buccaneers)

17 – Tom Larke (Old Wesley)

15 – Orrin Burgess (Buccaneers), Michael Cogan (UCC), Sean Condon (UCC), Shane Connolly (Blackrock College), Matthew Cosgrove (Blackrock College), Bryan Croke (Naas), Cian Cunningham (Old Belvedere), Matthew Dwan (Blackrock College), Daragh Fitzgerald (Highfield), Ben Gibson (Queen’s University), Oran McNulty (Garryowen), Ben Murphy (Highfield), Eoin Murphy (Old Wesley), Rob Murphy (Highfield), Howard Noonan (Old Wesley), John O’Callaghan (Highfield), Josh O’Connor (Buccaneers), Dave O’Sullivan (Highfield), Sam O’Sullivan (UCC), Jacob Sheahan (UCC), Josh Stevens (Queen’s University), Kale Thatcher (Old Belvedere), Gordon Wood (Garryowen)

12 – Ben O’Connor (UCC), Andrew O’Mahony (UCC)

10 – Scott Buckley (UCC), James Burke (Blackrock College), Sam Burns (Old Wesley), Myles Carey (St. Mary’s College), Killian Coghlan (UCC), Brian Colclough (Blackrock College), Liam Corcoran (St. Mary’s College), Neil Cronin (Garryowen), Josh Dixon (Blackrock College), Mark Dorgan (Highfield), Patrick Dowling (Old Belvedere), Conor Doyle (Naas), Des Fitzgerald (Garryowen), Niall Fitzgerald (Garryowen), Peter Ford (St. Mary’s College), Peter Heasley (Queen’s University), Joe Hopes (Queen’s University), Adam Howard (Old Belvedere), Cathal Kelly (Old Wesley), James Kelly (Buccaneers), Steven Kilgallen (St. Mary’s College), Shane Layden (Buccaneers), Danny McCarthy (UCC), Adam McEvoy (St. Mary’s College), Lorcan McLoughlin (Queen’s University), Liam McNamara (Buccaneers), Matthew Miller (Queen’s University), David Motyer (Old Wesley), Liam Nicholson (Blackrock College), Harry Noonan (Old Wesley), Josh O’Hare (Old Wesley), James O’Loughlin (Naas), Colin O’Neill (Highfield), Conor O’Shaughnessy (Buccaneers), Josh Pim (Old Wesley), Kyle Read (Garryowen), Odhran Ring (Blackrock College), Chris Rolland (Blackrock College), Andrew Savage (Blackrock College), Ryan Street (Queen’s University), Ben Taylor (St. Mary’s College), Mikey Veale (Garryowen), Charlie Ward (Buccaneers), Scott Wilson (Queen’s University)

7 – Angus Christie (Queen’s University), Robbie Johnston (Queen’s University)

5 – Jason Aherne (UCC), Jacob Barrett (Old Belvedere), David Benn (Naas), Conall Bird (Old Belvedere), Evan Clarke (UCC), James Conroy (Garryowen), Oisin Cooke (Garryowen), Liam Coombes (Garryowen), Bill Corrigan (Old Wesley), Ryan Davies (Queen’s University), Gavin Daly (Buccaneers), Oisin Dolan (Buccaneers), James Doyle (Old Belvedere), Rory Ellerby (Queen’s University), Richie Fahy (St. Mary’s College), Dean Fanning (Garryowen), Hugh Flood (Old Belvedere), Callum Florence (Queen’s University), David Fortune (Blackrock College), Darragh French (UCC), Jack Gardiner (Blackrock College), Nicky Greene (Garryowen), Daniel Hawkshaw (Buccaneers), Cameron Hillis (Queen’s University), Frankie Hopkins (Buccaneers), Cian Hurley (Garryowen), Peter Hyland (UCC), Leroy Jack (St. Mary’s College), Fergus Jemphrey (Old Wesley), Gary Kavanagh (Naas), Johnny Keane (Garryowen), Oisin Kearney (Garryowen), Eoin Keating (Highfield), Louis Keyes (Blackrock College), David Kiely (UCC), Peter King (Naas), Charlie Kings (Naas), Derry Lenehan (Naas), Patrick McBarron (UCC), Dave McCarthy (Blackrock College), Eanna McCarthy (UCC), Jake McCay (Queen’s University), Luke McDermott (Old Belvedere), Will McDonald (Old Belvedere), James McKillop (Queen’s University), Paul McSweeney (Blackrock College), Paul Monahan (Naas), Tom Mulcair (Old Belvedere), Ryan Murphy (Highfield), Gavin Nugent (Old Belvedere), Will O’Brien (Naas), Tommy O’Callaghan (Old Wesley), Dave O’Connell (Highfield), Aidan O’Kane (Naas), Peter O’Sullivan (UCC), Connor Owende (Old Belvedere), Ethan Patterson (Queen’s University), Harvey Patterson (Queen’s University), Cian Reilly (Blackrock College), James Rochford (Highfield), Eamonn Rodgers (Queen’s University), Chris Rolland (Blackrock College), Diarmaid Scannell (Old Wesley), Tom Shine (Buccaneers), Gavin Thornbury (Blackrock College), Liam Turner (Blackrock College), Henry Walker (Queen’s University), Roy Whelan (Blackrock College), James Wixted (UCC), Adam Wrona (UCC)

3 – Johnny Kiely (Old Belvedere)

TRIES –

12 – Donal Conroy (Naas), Alex Molloy (Old Wesley)

11 – Jack Sheridan (Naas)

10 – Calum Dowling (Old Belvedere), Bryan Fitzgerald (Garryowen), Conor Hayes (St. Mary’s College)

9 – Colm Quilligan (Garryowen)

8 – Jonny Hunter (Queen’s University), Cian McCann (Buccaneers), Charlie Sheridan (Naas)

7 – Hugo Conway (St. Mary’s College), Mark Fogarty (St. Mary’s College), Jamie Harding (St. Mary’s College), Nathan Randles (Old Wesley)

6 – Jayden Beckett (Old Belvedere), Louis Bruce (UCC), Donnacha Byrne (Garryowen), Richard Cassidy (Highfield), Max Clein (Garryowen), Colm Hogan (Garryowen), Jack Keating (Old Belvedere), Harry Long (Queen’s University), Jack O’Sullivan (UCC), Joe White (Old Belvedere)

5 – Alexander Clarke (Queen’s University), Tom Coughlan (UCC), Graham Curtis (Blackrock College), Will Fay (Old Wesley), Cronan Gleeson (Old Wesley), Niall Hardiman (Blackrock College), David Heavey (Blackrock College), Fionn Higgins (Naas), Lukas Kenny (Queen’s University), Fionn McWey (Old Belvedere), Jack Nelson Murray (St. Mary’s College), Peter O’Beirne (Old Belvedere), Ross Anthony O’Neill (Highfield), Leandro Ramirez (St. Mary’s College), Ariel Robles (Old Belvedere), Daniel Sancery (St. Mary’s College), Jamie Shanahan (Highfield), Jeronimo Ureta Saenz Pena (Garryowen), Ronan Watters (St. Mary’s College), James Wright (Queen’s University)

4 – Ethan Baxter (St. Mary’s College), Jack Boal (Queen’s University), Tadhg Brophy (Naas), Muiris Cleary (Naas), Travis Coomey (Highfield), Miah Cronin (Highfield), Conor Dean (St. Mary’s College), Eoin Deegan (Old Wesley), Jack Delaney (Garryowen), Timothy Duggan (Highfield), Sean Edogbo (UCC), Luke McAuliffe (UCC), Mick McCormack (St. Mary’s College), Mick O’Gara (St. Mary’s College), JJ O’Neill (Garryowen), Reuben Pim (Old Wesley), Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley), Ben Stephens (Old Wesley), Rory Telfer (Queen’s University), Matthew Victory (Buccaneers)

3 – Orrin Burgess (Buccaneers), Oliver Coffey (Blackrock College), Michael Cogan (UCC), Sean Condon (UCC), Shane Connolly (Blackrock College), Matthew Cosgrove (Blackrock College), Cian Cunningham (Old Belvedere), Matthew Dwan (Blackrock College), Daragh Fitzgerald (Highfield), Ben Gibson (Queen’s University), Tom Larke (Old Wesley), Stephen Mannion (Buccaneers), Oran McNulty (Garryowen), Ben Murphy (Highfield), Eoin Murphy (Old Wesley), Rob Murphy (Highfield), Howard Noonan (Old Wesley), John O’Callaghan (Highfield), Josh O’Connor (Buccaneers), Mick O’Kennedy (Old Belvedere), Jack Oliver (Garryowen), Dave O’Sullivan (Highfield), Sam O’Sullivan (UCC), Jacob Sheahan (UCC), Josh Stevens (Queen’s University), Kale Thatcher (Old Belvedere), Cian Whooley (UCC), Gordon Wood (Garryowen)

2 – Scott Buckley (UCC), James Burke (Blackrock College), Sam Burns (Old Wesley), Myles Carey (St. Mary’s College), Killian Coghlan (UCC), Brian Colclough (Blackrock College), Liam Corcoran (St. Mary’s College), Bryan Croke (Naas), Neil Cronin (Garryowen), Josh Dixon (Blackrock College), Mark Dorgan (Highfield), Patrick Dowling (Old Belvedere), Conor Doyle (Naas), Mark Earle (Buccaneers), Des Fitzgerald (Garryowen), Niall Fitzgerald (Garryowen), Peter Ford (St. Mary’s College), Peter Heasley (Queen’s University), Joe Hopes (Queen’s University), Adam Howard (Old Belvedere), Cathal Kelly (Old Wesley), James Kelly (Buccaneers), Steven Kilgallen (St. Mary’s College), Shane Layden (Buccaneers), Danny McCarthy (UCC), Adam McEvoy (St. Mary’s College), Ben McFarlane (Queen’s University), Lorcan McLoughlin (Queen’s University), Liam McNamara (Buccaneers), Matthew Miller (Queen’s University), David Motyer (Old Wesley), Liam Nicholson (Blackrock College), Harry Noonan (Old Wesley), Ben O’Connor (UCC), Josh O’Hare (Old Wesley), James O’Loughlin (Naas), Colin O’Neill (Highfield), Conor O’Shaughnessy (Buccaneers), Josh Pim (Old Wesley), Kyle Read (Garryowen), Odhran Ring (Blackrock College), Chris Rolland (Blackrock College), Andrew Savage (Blackrock College), Ryan Street (Queen’s University), Ben Taylor (St. Mary’s College), Mikey Veale (Garryowen), Charlie Ward (Buccaneers), Scott Wilson (Queen’s University)

1 – Jason Aherne (UCC), Jacob Barrett (Old Belvedere), David Benn (Naas), Conall Bird (Old Belvedere), Sam Cahill (Naas), Ian Cassidy (Old Wesley), Angus Christie (Queen’s University), Evan Clarke (UCC), James Conroy (Garryowen), Oisin Cooke (Garryowen), Liam Coombes (Garryowen), Bill Corrigan (Old Wesley), Ryan Davies (Queen’s University), Gavin Daly (Buccaneers), Oisin Dolan (Buccaneers), James Doyle (Old Belvedere), Rory Ellerby (Queen’s University), Richie Fahy (St. Mary’s College), Dean Fanning (Garryowen), James Fennelly (Blackrock College), Hugh Flood (Old Belvedere), Callum Florence (Queen’s University), David Fortune (Blackrock College), Darragh French (UCC), Jack Gardiner (Blackrock College), Nicky Greene (Garryowen), Daniel Hawkshaw (Buccaneers), Dylan Hicks (Garryowen), Cameron Hillis (Queen’s University), Frankie Hopkins (Buccaneers), James Humphreys (Queen’s University), Cian Hurley (Garryowen), Peter Hyland (UCC), Leroy Jack (St. Mary’s College), Fergus Jemphrey (Old Wesley), Robbie Johnston (Queen’s University), Gary Kavanagh (Naas), Johnny Keane (Garryowen), Oisin Kearney (Garryowen), Eoin Keating (Highfield), Louis Keyes (Blackrock College), David Kiely (UCC), Peter King (Naas), Charlie Kings (Naas), Kelvin Langan (Garryowen), Derry Lenehan (Naas), Patrick McBarron (UCC), Dave McCarthy (Blackrock College), Eanna McCarthy (UCC), Jake McCay (Queen’s University), Luke McDermott (Old Belvedere), Will McDonald (Old Belvedere), James McKillop (Queen’s University), Paul McSweeney (Blackrock College), Eoin Monahan (Old Wesley), Paul Monahan (Naas), Tom Mulcair (Old Belvedere), Ryan Murphy (Highfield), Gavin Nugent (Old Belvedere), Will O’Brien (Naas), Tommy O’Callaghan (Old Wesley), Dave O’Connell (Highfield), Aidan O’Kane (Naas), Andrew O’Mahony (UCC), Peter Osborne (Naas), Peter O’Sullivan (UCC), Connor Owende (Old Belvedere), Ethan Patterson (Queen’s University), Harvey Patterson (Queen’s University), Peter Quirke (Blackrock College), Cian Reilly (Blackrock College), James Rochford (Highfield), Eamonn Rodgers (Queen’s University), Craig Ronaldson (Naas), Diarmaid Scannell (Old Wesley), Tom Shine (Buccaneers), Daniel Squires (UCC), Gavin Thornbury (Blackrock College), Liam Turner (Blackrock College), Henry Walker (Queen’s University), Roy Whelan (Blackrock College), David Wilkinson (Old Belvedere), James Wixted (UCC), Adam Wrona (UCC)