All Ireland League Gets Under Way.

3rd October 2010 By Munster Rugby

The All Ireland League kicked off with mixed fortunes for Munster sides. Defending champions Cork Constitution began their campaign with a maximum point victory away to Blackrock College.

Garryowen 14, Young Munster20.

Young Munster opened this season’s All Ireland League with a narrow victory at Dooradoyle in this Limerick Division 1A clash and it was two former Garryowen players Alan Kingsley and Willie Staunton that played a prominent role in this win for the Cookies.

With scrum half Mike Prendergast out for the season due to injury, Young Munster moved Kingsley into the number nine slot and he linked up very well with Staunton.

The visitors started the brighter and raced into a 13-0 lead with a try from winger Dara O’Neill and a conversion and two penalties from Kingsley. Three penalties from Conor Murray left the home side trailing 13-9 at the interval.

Midway through the second half Garryowen moved into the lead with a try from hooker Robert Meyer, but Young Munster hit back six minutes later with a try from centre Danny Grace and Kingsley converted from the touch line ensured the points for the visitors.

Scorers Garryowen:R Meyer try, C Murray 3 pens.

Young Munster:D O’Neill, D Grace tries, A Kingsley 2 cons, 2 pens.

Garryowen:L Bourke; I Hanley, C O’Shea, K Hartigan,C Hircock; C Doyle capt, C Murray; J.P. Cooney,R Meyer, D Lavery;A McCloskey,F McKenna; P Neville, C Hartigan, D Sherry.

Replacements: A Healy for K Hartigan 74, C Fitzgerald for C Hartigan 78, J Rael for Meyer 80.

Young Munster: R Moloney; C O’Hanlon, M Costello, D Grace, D O’Neill; W Staunton, A Kingsley; G O’Flaherty, G Slattery capt, H McGrath; D Payne, S O’Neill; S Hassett, L Murphy, N Melbourne,

Replacements: J O’Neill for Hassett 60, D Sheehan for Slattery 78,

Referee: A Roland (IRFU)

BlackrockCollege23, CorkConstitution 31.

A late rally by Cork Constitution saw them come from 23-18 down with fifteen minutes remaining to claim all five points.

Richard Laneand Richard Keogh exchanged early penalties before a try from Darragh Lyons after great work by prop Martin Gately put the visitors 11-6 ahead.

Alex Dunlop scored a try for the home side and Keogh converted to put Blackrock two points up. Frank Cogan restored Con’s lead with a try just before half time.

Keogh closed the gap with a penalty and when Niall Morris scored a try for Blackrock and Keogh converted for a 23-18 lead with fifteen minutes remaining, the points looked like going with the Dublinside.

However Con’ rallied and tries by Lane and Stephen Archer and a Lane penalty secured maximum points for the visitors.

Scorers for Blackrock:A Dunlop, N Morris try each, R Keogh 3 pens, 2 cons.

Cork Constitution:R Lanetry, 3 pens, con; F Cogan, D Lyons, S Archer try each.

Blackrock College: N Morris; D Rowen, B Macken, R Keogh, A Conway; L Ellison, C Crowley; J Barretto, C Culleton, K Cahill; A Dunlop, D Dillon (c); M Noone, B Kelly, M Carroll.

Replacements:B Prescottfor Cahill, P Graham for Carroll and A McGinty for Ellison all HT, R Fisher for C Culleton 59.

Cork Constitution:S Scanlon; R Lane, T Gleeson, S Zebo, C Healy; D Lyons, D Williams; M Gately, R Quinn, S Archer; B Hayes, I Nagle; B Holland, P O’Mahony, F Cogan(c).

Replacements:M O’Leary for Quinn 51, G Murray for Gately 64.

Referee:S McDowell (IRFU)

Dolphin 16, Shannon9.

The inclusion of James Coughlan in the Dolphin side proved all the difference at Musgrave Park as he scored the games only try to secure victory for the home side.

It was 10-3 at half time with Barry Keeshan converting the try and also kicking a penalty. Gareth Quinn-McDonogh kicked a penalty for the visitors.

The Shannon out half kicked two further penalties after the break and Keeshan replied with a drop goal and penalty in the final five minutes.

Scorers Dolphin: J Coughlan try, B Keeshan 2 pens drp gl, con.

Shannon: G Quinn-McDonogh 3 pens.

Dolphin:N Walley;D Barnes, B Dennehy,E Moloney, P Hurley; B Keeshan, T Parker;D Ryan,N Scanell,C Condon;C Roe,D O’Callaghan;R Allen,J Quill,J Coughlan.

Shannon:M Lawlor;L O’Dea,R Mullane,M Kinsella,S Kelly;G Quinn-McDonogh, P Rowley;K O’Neill,D Casey,G McNamara;S Duggan,F Walsh;E McLoyghlin,P Butler,D Quinlan.

Referee:L Colgan(IRFU)

U.L. Bohemian 13, Galwegians 14

UL Bohemian’s first game in Division 1B got off to a poor start at ThomondPark, with Galwegians edging the contest by a single point.

The visitors opened the scoring with a penalty from John Cleary after thirteen minutes. A try by skipper Martin McPhail which Stuart O’Flanagan converted after twenty nine minutes for a 7-3 interval lead.

A try by David Clarke restored Galwegians advantage and two penalties by former Rockwell schools player J.J. Hanrahan was not enough for the home side as Cleary replied with two similar efforts for a narrow victory

Scorers: UL Bohemian: Martin McPhail try, J.J. Hanrahan 2 pens, Stuart O’Flanagan con.

Galwegians:David Clarke try, John Cleary 3 pens.

U.L. Bohemian:E Torrie; C Ahern, M McPhail, M Kinsella, D Moroney; S O’Flanagan, C Sherlock; D Kilcoyne, E Rossiter, P O’Regan; M Feely, D Foley; T O’Donnell, K O’Gorman, K Essex.

Replacements:J.J. Hanrahan for Kinsella 60,

Galwegians:J Cleary; R Bibo, C Conroy, D Clarke, D Fanning; R O’Shaughnessy, R Dillon; R Loughrey, C Muldoon, J Stephens; D Nolan, B McClaren; D O’Hare, I Muldoon, C Cullinane .

Clontarf 26, Bruff 11.

Relegated Clontarf made a winning start to their Division 1B campaign with a deserved victory over promoted Bruff.

Fielding several new players from Cork, the new comers played their part in this victory.

Clontarf led 14-6 at the break with Sam Cronin scoring a try and Noel Reid kicking three penalties and Brian Cahill replied with two penalties for the visitors.

Michael Keating and Evan Ryan added tries after the break and Reid converted one while Cathal O’Regan scored a late try for Bruff.

Scorers Clontarf:Sam Cronin, Michael Keating, Evan Ryan tries, Noel Reid 3 pens, con.

Bruff:Cathal O’Regan try, Brian Cahill 2 pens.

Clontarf:D O’Shea; M Keating, E Ryan, K Lett, M McGrath; N Reid, S Cronin; C Kavanagh, A Dundon, N Treston capt; B Reilly, B Gissing; E Cremin, B O’Mahony, M Garvey.

Bruff:B Deady; A Cashman, B Cahill, E Cahill, N Riordan; T Cahill, E Maher; D Horan, C O’Regan (capt), S Foster;A Laffan,M O’Connell;J Shine, M Carroll, P Malone.

U.C.C. 33, Dungannon 29.

U.C.C. began their Division 1B All Ireland League campaign with a deserved victory over a determined Dungannon side at the Mardyke.

A late rally saw Dungannon snatch two bonus points with a last minute try from full back Conor Gaston which Paddy Jackson converted.

Dungannon opened the scoring with a penalty by Jacksonbut, a try by Olan Dennehy and a conversion and three penalties by Andrew Burke had the home side 16-15 ahead at the interval. Craig Gilroy scored a try for the visitors who were also awarded a penalty try and Jacksonconverted.

Tries by Willie Walsh and John Ryan both converted by Burke who also added a penalty secured the points for the home side. Gilroy scored a second try for Dungannon and Jackson converted.

Scorers: U.C.C.:ODennehy, W Walsh, John Ryan tries, A Burke 3 cons, 4 pens

Dungannon:C Gilroy 2 tries, C Gaston try, Pen try, P Jackson 3 cons, pen.

U.C.C.:W Walsh;O Dennehy,A Joyce,B Kingston,B Derham;A Burke,B Slater;G Duffy,A Cudmore,John Ryan;B Quill,P Donnellan;B O’Callaghan,J McCarthy,James Ryan.

Replacements:J Hollandfor Joyce 61,K Murphy for McCarthy 62, K O’Byrne for Cudmore 75.

Dungannon:C Gatson;C Gilroy,P Magee,G Telford,C Cochrane;P Jackson,M Kirkwood;G Sinnamon,A Duhig,M Farquhar;P McCarroll,A Fry;T Anderson,M Riddell,S McKenzie.

Replacements:J Bloomfield for Kirkwood48,C Threlfall for McCarroll, B Howard for Sinnamon both 53, P Whyte for Howard 73.

Referee:A Rogan(IRFU).

Midleton 16, Ballymena 26.

Relegated Ballymena served notice that they intend their stay in Division 2 to be a short one following their relegation last season with this victory over newly promoted Midleton at the TownsPark.

Marshallput the visitors ahead with a try which he also converted but a try by Donogh Hurley which Jeff Hitchmough converted tied up at the scores at the break.

Kerr restored the visitors lead with a second try which Marshallconverted. Three penalties by Hitchmough put the home side 16-14 ahead by the sixtieth minute, but Ballymena rallied and tries by Seymore and Smyth, the latter converted by Marshal secured maximum points for Ballymena and denied the home side a losing bonus point.

Scorers Midleton: D Hurley try, J Hitchmough 3 pens, con,

Ballymena: L Marshall try, 3 cons, A Kerr, T Seymore, C Smyth tries.

Old Crescent 25, Clonakilty 3.

Old Crescent won this Munsterderby clash at Rosbrien with an easy victory over Clonakilty.

Emmett Dalton, Lewis Patterson, James O’Neill scored tries for the winners and Fergal Lawler kicked a drop goal, penalty and two conversions. Aidan Rees kicked a drop goal for the visitors.

Scorers Old Crescent:E Dalton, L Patterson, J O’Neill, tries, F Lawler drp gl, 2 cons, pen.

Clonakilty:A Rees drp gl.

Belfast Harlequins 31,Thomond 7.

There was no joy for Thomond in Belfast as Harlequins collected maximum points with 31-7 victory at Deramore Park.

Ben Rowley scored a try for the Limerick side and Luan Bosman converted in what was a disappointing performance by the vsitors.

Scorers Belfast Harlequins: A McCoombe, R McGrath, M Holmes, N Annett tries, M Hainey 1 con, 3 pens.

Thomond: Ben Rowley try, LuanBosman con.

Nenagh Ormond 21 Highfield 7.

Nenagh Ormond got their Division 3 campaign off to a winning start with a victory over relegated Highfield at New Ormond Park.

With ten minutes remaining the Tipperary side led 8-7 but two late tries and a penalty made sure of the points for the home side

Sunday’s Well 38, Greystones 23.

A great start by Sunday’s Well who picked up maximum points from their opening encounter at Musgrave Park over relegated Greystones.

Greystones got off to a great start and were 11-3 ahead after fifteen minutes but tries by Shane Walsh and Danny O’Shea and the latter converting both tries and a penalty had the home side 17-11 ahead at the interval.

The ‘Well pack took full control and further tries by Willie Devane, Jason Martin-O’Sullivan and Joe Moynihan secured the bonus point. O’Shea converted all three tries.

Scorers for Sunday’s Well: D O’Shea try, pen, 5 cons, S Walsh, W Devane, J Martin-O’Sullivan, J Moynihan tries

Greystones: S Malone, E Toolan tries, R Spillane try, 2 pens, 1 con.

Sunday’s Well: B Hanrahan; R Walters, W Devane, D Twohig, J Martin-O’Sullivan; D O’Shea, R Geary (c); J Moynihan, F Whelan, J Bransfield; M O’Sullivan, J Kidney; S Walsh, S Murphy, K Casey.

Replacements: M Collins for Kidney 61, A O’Donovan for Bransfield and F Moynihan for Whelan both 66, B McGrath for Devane 72, S Caul for Walters 77.

Greystones: A Kiely; R Carroll, S Malone, E Toolan, J Dempsey; R Spillane, D O’Rourke; A Jeffers, D Fawsitt, B Clancy; B Holmes (c), N O’Brien; R Smith, A Dempsey, A O’Toole. Replacements: P Hipple for Fawsitt 49, J Prieto for J Dempsey 53, B Wojnar for A Dempsey and E Lynch for O’Rourke both 61, J Barry for Smith 72

Referee: S Douglas (IRFU)

RESULTS:

All Ireland League:

Division 1A:Blackrock College 23,Cork Constitution 31;

Dolphin 16,Shannon

Garryowen 14,Young Munster 20;

St. Mary's College 13,Old Belvedere 14;

Division 1B:Buccaneers 22,Lansdowne 13;

Clontarf 26,Bruff 11;

U.C.C. 33,Dungannon 29;

U.L. Bohemian 13,Galwegians 14;

Division 2:Belfast Harlequins 31,Thomond 7;