Junior Rugby Roundup

The scheduled nineteen games in this week’s Munster Junior League all went ahead with Thomond, Tralee and Youghal being the early pace setters in their respective divisions.

Defending champions Thomond had a convincing 44-8  win against Sunday’s Well at Liam Fitzgerald Park. Ryan Ahern and Jamie McGarry scored first half tries for Thomond  who led10-3 at the interval. Ciaran McGuire kicked a penalty for the visitors. With the advantage of the elements after the break tries from Joe Costelloe, Ahern, Dean O’Brien, Eoghan Sherlock and Shane Kelly ensured a maximum bonus point win for the holders. Jason Kiely kicked three conversions and a penalty. Ryan O’Donoghue Kelliher replied with a try for the Well.

In the top game of the day Newcastle West defeated Kilfeacle 12-8. Shane Airey and Aaron Rice scored tries for the home side with Airey also adding a conversion. Jacques van Wyngaardt replied with a try for Kilfeacle and Luke Heuston added a penalty.

In a thrilling encounter at Thurles, Bandon snatched a bonus point win with a late try from Zach Allen to beat the home side 34-30 in a game the produced nine tries. Adam Hutchinson scored three tries for the visitors and Tom Fergusson also crossed the whitewash. Hugh O’Mahony kicked three conversions and a penalty. Thurles replied with two tries from Riccardo Prandi and one each from Colin Nolan and Ciaran Ryan. James Maher kicked two penalties, and a conversion and Jack Flanagan also added a conversion.

Mallow bounced back from their opening round defeat with a 33-24 victory at home to Skibbereen. Steven Finn scored two tries for Mallow and Ronan Mills, Rory Murphy and Owen Glynn got one each. Hunter Cowan converted four of the tries. Dave Shannon replied with two tries for Skibbereen and Daniel Duggan and Callum Hurley also scored tries. Xavier McEldowney added two conversions.

Muskerry caused an upset with a 24-18 away win at Clonakilty with tries from Dan Galvin, Rob Cahill and Tom Griffin. Cahill converted all three tries and also kicked a penalty. Dean Flood, Pa McCarthy and Rob Howick replied with tries for Clon’. Miles Henry also added a penalty.

Richmond had to withstand a second half rally by Crosshaven, before coming out on  top with a 29-26 victory at Canal Bank. Tries from Ger Meehan, Lee Bennett and Jack O’Hanlon and a conversion by Brian Mullins gave Richmond a 17-7 half time lead. Jason Murray and Osama Farag added tries for the home side after the break and Mullins kicked a conversion. Harry O’Connell replied with three tries for Crosshaven and Anthony Sheehan also scored a try, with Kealan Daly converting three of the tries.

St Mary’s recorded a 15-10 away win at Kanturk. An unconverted try by Conor O’Sullivan gave Kanturk a 5-0 half time lead. Mary’s drew level with a try by Robin Gallagher. Andy Vaughan restored the home side’s lead with a try, but a try, conversion and a penalty by Adam Guerin saw the Saints take the spoils.

Tralee made it two wins from two in Division Two, after a try by Tom Healy and  a conversion by Gavin Peevers gave them a 7-5 away win at Fermoy. Anthony Coady replied with a try  for Fermoy.

Clanwilliam made a good start to their campaign with a 38-10 home win over Kinsale. Ben Downey, Edward Nolan, Niall Leahy, Darragh Burke, Gavin Downey and Ronan O’Connor all scored tries for the Tipperary side and Leahy kicked four conversions. Brian O’Donnell and Dan Graham replied with tries for Kinsale.

Abbeyfeale lost for the second week, when they went down 43-21 at home to Ballincollig. Dion Burke, Oscar Early, Liam McGarry, Eoin Sweeney, Cian Kilkenny and James McGlinchy all scored tries for Ballincollig and Diarmuid Phelan kicked five conversions and a penalty. Sean Bates, Jimmy Kelly, and Cody Greaney replied with tries for Abbeyfeale and all three tries were converted by Caoimhin Barrett.

St Senan’s won the Clare derby defeating Ennis 40-36. Declan Collins, Mikey Lynch, Fergal Lawlor, Craig Arey and Darragh McNamara scored tries for Senan’s, and they were also awarded a penalty try. Airey kicked four conversions. Ennis replied with three tries from Cian Guilfoyle, two by Dylan Kenny and one from Calum Barrett. Kenny kicked three conversions.

Waterpark bounced back from their away defeat in Tralee last week, with a 36-32 home win against Fethard. The visitors led 24-12 at the interval, but Waterpark dominated the second half to get a bonus point win. Two tries from Ben Daly, Mark Hayes, Willie Walsh, captain Peter Traynor and Ben Wallis were Waterpark’s other try scorers. Daly kicked three conversions. Michael Lawrence, Robert Wall, Conor Kavanagh and Toby Collins replied with tries for Fethard and Paddy Gaynor kicked three conversions and two penalties to earn the Tipperary side two points.

Castleisland defeated Cobh Pirates 23-22 with a last minute try by Joe Sheehy at CastleIsland. The Kerry side led 18-0 at halftime with tries from Connie Reynolds and Mike Cronin and two penalties and a conversion by Sheehy. Cobh hit back after the break with two tries from Ben Kennedy and one by Kevin Murphy. Adam Devine kicked two conversions and a penalty.

Charleville lost for the second successive week as they lost at home to Old Christians 19-3. Mark Deane, James Hayes and Laszio Rabatin scored tries for the Rathcooney side and John Marnell kicked two conversions. Kian Smith replied with a penalty for Charleville.

In the opening round of games in Division 3, Youghal were the only side to record a bonus point victory and so take top spot after their 38-14 away win at Scariff. Leon Kenneally, Kelvin Yellop and Nathan O’Halloran each scored two tries and Jordan Yellop kicked four conversions. Darragh Tracey and Robert Sherlock replied with tries for Scariff and Marc Loughran converted both.

Chorca Dhuibhne recorded a 20-14 away win at Galbally, defeating Galbally-Mitchelstown 20-14. Nicky Moriarty and Gearoid Breathnach scored tries for the Kerry side and Jim Ó Muircheartaigh kicked two conversions and two penalties. David Sheehan replied with two tries for the home side and Pa Shanahan converted both.

Carrick-on-Suir made the long trip to Killarney a winning one with 20-14 win. Sean Mullarkey and Ryan O’Donoghue scored tries for Carrick and Fionn Barry kicked two conversions and two penalties. Finn Kenneally and Donnchadh Grealy replied with tries for Killarney and Ciaran O’Brien converted both.

Ardscoil Old Boys edged out Douglas 23-20 at Castletreasure. Darragh Dineen and Robin Healy were try scorers for the Limerick side and they were also awarded a penalty try. Jamie Moore kicked two penalties. Kevin Usher and John O’Regan replied with tries for Douglas, Charlie Devine kicked two conversions, and a penalty and Eoin Philpott also added a penalty.

Dungarvan defeated neighbours Waterford City 20-10 with tries from Shane Norris and Patsy Coyne. Dave Hickey converted both and also added two penalties. Killian Power and Aaron Smith were the City try scorers.