AIB All Ireland League Roundup

Victories for the three unbeaten sides in Division 1A of the AIB All Ireland League means that a six point gap between third and fourth sides in the table has opened up.

Dolphin won the big Munster derby tie with an 18-14 victory over Shannon at Musgrave Park, while the three other Munster sides in this Division all lost to Leinster opposition.

At Musgrave Park, Dolphin led Shannon 18-0 at half time. Barry Keeshan put Dolphin ahead after five minutes when he intercepted forty metres from the Shannon line to score under the posts and he duly converted for a 7-0 lead.
He increased the lead with a penalty on eighteen minutes and from the restart Dolphin were awarded a scrum on the half way mark, a quick move by scrum half Sam Cronin got the Dolphin line moving and Cronin finished the move off to touch down in the corner.
Keeshan added a second penalty before the break.
Shannon response after the break was swift and tries by Stephen Kelly and David Quinlan, both converted by David O’Donovan had brought the gap down to four points with twenty eight minutes remaining. However O’Donovan was off target with five penalty efforts.
Great work by Nick Williams in the loose and full back Niall Walley and winger Niall O’Driscoll in defence meant Dolphin held out for their third victory.

A second half try by David Moore and conversion by James Power proved the difference between Blackrock College and Cork Constitution at Stradbrook. Power gave the home side a 3-0 interval lead with a penalty and Constitution’s only reply was a penalty by Richard Lane who went down 10-3.

A penalty and drop goal by former U.C.C. player Gavin Dunne helped St. Mary’s College to a 6-3 away win over Garryowen. The Dooradoyle side trailed 3-0 at half time and their only score was a penalty by Gerry Hurley.

A second half try by Martin Garvey helped Clontarf to an 8-3 victory over U.L. Bohemian at Thomond Park. The sides were tied 3-3 at half time with Daragh Frawley kicking a penalty for the home side and Martin Dufficy replying for the visitors.

In Division 1B Young Munster put a halt to Old Belvedere’s great start, when the sides played out a 3-3 draw at Clifford Park. All the scoring came in the opening half with Alan Kingsley kicking a penalty for the home side and Fergus McFadden replied for the Dublin side.

U.C.C. won their first came of the competition with a 19-11 away win over Galwegians. The students ran in three tries by Will O’Donovan, James Ryan and Brian Derham and Andrew Burke kicked two conversions.

In Division Two: Thomond made amends for last week’s Cup defeat by UCD, when they travelled to Belfield and reversed that result with a 32-16 win which sees them replace the Dublin side in second place in the table after they collected maximum points. Daragh O’Neill, Warren Kelly, Declan O’Connell and Darren Clancy were try scorers for the Limerick side and Declan Cusack kicked three conversions, a penalty and a drop goal.

Bruff won the Limerick derby when they edged out Old Crescent 12-11 at Rosbrien. Brian Cahill kicked four penalties for the winners and the home replied with a try from Billy Leahy and two penalties by Mark Woods.

Highfield got their first points of the campaign with a 20-18 victory over Malone at Gibson Park. John Murphy Aidan Rees and Fergus Gately scored tries for the winners and Colin Mahony kicked a penalty and a conversion.

Lansdowne are the only side in the league to have collected maximum points from their three games. They defeated Clonakilty 30-3 at the RDS, where Kurt Morath kicked a penalty for the West Cork side.

Midleton defeated Third Division leaders Navan at the Meath venue 5-3 to keep their unbeaten record in tact. Junior Sifa scored the all important try for the visitors.

In the Munster derby two penalties in the opening ten minutes by David Delaney helped Nenagh Ormond to a 6-0 home win over Sunday’s Well.

RESULTS:
AIB League Division 1A:Blackrock College 10,Cork Constitution 3;
Dolphin 18,Shannon 14;
Garryowen 3,St. Mary’s College 6;
U.L. Bohemian 3,Clontarf 8;

Division 1B:Ballymena 15,Buccaneers 18;
Dungannon 13,Ballynahinch 8;
Galwegians 11,U.C.C. 19;
Young Munster 3,Old Belvedere 3;

Division 2:Belfast Harlequins 15,Greystones 8;
Corinthians 18,Bective Rangers 11;
Dublin University 17,D.L.S.P. 18;
Lansdowne 30,Clonakilty 3;
Malone 18,Highfield 20;
Old Crescent 11,Bruff 12;
Old Wesley 10,Terenure College 26;
U.C.D. 16,Thomond 32;

Division 3:Ards 12,Wanderers 13;
Co. Carlow 12,Banbridge 30;
Instonians 19,Barnhall 3;
Naas 10,Portadown 15;
Navan 3,Midleton 5;
Nenagh Ormond 6,Sunday’s Well 0;
Queens University 71,Connemara 0;
Rainey Old Boys 23,Suttonians 10;

UPCOMING FIXTURES
SATURDAY 31st OCTOBER
AIB League Division 1A:Clontarf v Blackrock College,Castle Avenue,2.30;
Cork Constitution v Garryowen,Temple Hill,2.30;
Shannon v U.L. Bohemian,Coonagh,2.30;
St. Mary’s College v Dolphin,Templeville Road,2.30;

Division 1B:Ballynahinch v Young Munster,Ballymacarn Park,2.30;
Buccaneers v Galwegians,Dubarry Park,2.30;
Old Belvedere v Ballymena,Anglesea Road,2.30;
U.C.C. v Dungannon,Mardyke,2.30;

Division 2:Bective Rangers v Belfast Harlequins,Donnybrook,2.30;
Bruff v U.C.D.,Kilballyowen Park,2.30;
Clonakilty v Dublin University,The Vale,2.30;
Corinthians v Old Crescent,Corinthian Park,2.30;
D.L.S.P. v Old Wesley,Kirwan Park,2.30;
Greystones v Malone,Dr. Hickey Park,2.30;
Terenure College v Lansdowne,Lakelands,2.30;
Thomond v Highfield,Fitzgerald Park,2.30;

Division 3:Banbridge v Naas,Rifle Park,2.30;
Barnhall v Nenagh Ormond,Parsonstown,2.30;
Connemara v Instonians,Monastery Field,2.30;
Midleton v Co. Carlow,Towns Park,2.30;
Portadown v Queens University,Chambers Park,2.30;
Sunday’s Well v Ards,Musgrave Park,2.30;
Suttonians v Navan,Station Road,2.30;
Wanderers v Rainey Old Boys,Merrion Road,2.30;

AIB Junior Cup Round 1:Monivea v Waterpark,Monivea,2.30;
Clonmel v Sligo,Clonmel,2.30;
Boyne v Kilfeacle,Drogheda,2.30;
Seaview v City of Derry,Dublin,2.30;
Cooke v Cill Dara,Belfast,2.30;
Cashel v Tuam,Cashel,2.30;
Colraine v Tullamore,Colraine,2.30;
Ballina v Armagh,Ballina,2.30;