All Ireland League | Highfield On The Verge Of Promotion
15th March 2019 By Olan Allen
Highfield could be crowned All Ireland League champions next Saturday with a victory at home to second place Cashel, after their 24-6 bonus point win over Dolphin at Irish Independent Park.
It was only in the final quarter of the game that Highfield took control of proceedings scoring three unanswered tries to secure their 12th try bonus point of the season.
Despite playing with a strong wind Highfield found themselves behind after fifteen minutes when Daryl Foley landed a penalty for Dolphin.
Following a yellow card for Dolphin winger Alan O’Sullivan, Highfield opened their account with a try from Dave O’Sullivan for a 5-3 half time lead.
Dolphin regained the lead with a second penalty from Foley on fifty five minutes but great work by the Highfield pack resulted in tries for Colm Gallagher, Dan Healy and Miah Cronin secured victory.
Paul Downes and Chris Bannon each kicked a conversion.
Dolphin: R Reardon; T Phelan, W Hanly, J Viljanen, A O’Sullivan; C Flanagan, D Foley; L Walsh, E McCarthy, D Jennings; D O’Shaughnessy, D O’Mahony; A Denby, K Allen, J Fitzgerald.
Replacements: L Jordan, D Byrne, J Vaughan, D Ahern, C O’Shaughnessy.
Highfield: L Kingston; G O’Leary, D O’Sullivan, B Murphy, P Stack; P Downes, C Bannon; D O’Callaghan, D Healy, T Ryan; D O’Connell, F O’Sullivan; C Gallagher, K O’Leary, M Cronin.
Replacements: M Shinkwin, M Gately, E Earle, B O’Hea, M Dorgan.
Referee: S Kierans (IRFU).