UCD On Fire In Five-Try Win Out West

Derry native Conall Doherty contributed 15 points as UCD dominated from start to finish in a 35-3 bonus point hammering of a poor Galwegians side. It was the students’ first win in three Ulster Bank League outings.

Galwegians can have few complaints as they were outplayed almost from start to finish. UCD did not take long to assert themselves, and two early scrum turnovers unsettled the hosts who were wearing their away strip of black.

College centre Conall Doherty put his side ahead with two straightforward penalties inside the opening quarter, and it was no surprise when the visitors scored the opening try soon after.

Following yet another scrum turnover, the students went on the attack and a right to left move resulted in winger Barry Daly crossing near the left corner on 23 minutes, notching his fourth try of the current campaign.

There was to be no respite for 'Wegians who did not help their own cause with some sloppy errors and poor set pieces, which simply handed the initiative right back to their opponents.

Noel McNamara's youngsters made the most of it and just before half-time, the try of the game resulted in a mesmeric move involving most of their team, with their Leinster-capped full-back Adam Byrne taking the final pass to score try number two.

Doherty missed the conversion again, and 'Wegians were given the slightest ray of hope when they finally won a penalty in opposition territory, which out-half Aidan Moynihan converted to reduce the gap to 16-3 at the break.

Unfortunately for the home support, it was normal service resumed after the restart as UCD went in for the kill. Their third try arrived in the 45th minute when Doherty took a simple crash ball off a lineout with a perfectly-timed run to slice through the middle and dot down under the posts. He converted his own try to put the game beyond the reach of 'Wegians.

Home centre Brian Murphy was sin-binned shortly afterwards with the penalty count mounting, and a bonus point seemed a formality at this stage. However, some heroic defence from 'Wegians saw them lift a siege on the hour mark following a succession of scrum penalties on their line.

But, cruelly, just when a breakaway move was on, a loose pass by Murphy was picked off easily by UCD centre Jack Power who sauntered home unopposed for the bonus point score.

The Galway men threw caution to the wind at this stage in a bid to salvage some pride, and although Cormac Brennan came close late on, the visitors sealed a perfect day when another breakaway move by their lightning quick backs saw full-back Byrne score his second and his side's fifth try.

Galwegians coaches Matt Brown and John Muldoon will have a lot to do to pick their side up after this bruising defeat, as their next match is a very difficult away assignment against last season's beaten finalists Clontarf.

Referee: Kieran Barry (IRFU)