Provincial Rugby Roundup

With only one round of games left to play in Division 1 and 2 of the Munster Junior League, along with several outstanding games, there is plenty still to play for in the coming weeks, as Ennis won the Third Division title and Castleisland also gained promotion to Division 2.

Two Division One League games doubled up as Junior Cup games with both Bandon and Mallow winning.

At Crescent College Comp ground, Bandon defeated Richmond 22-17 in the Bank of Ireland Munster Junior Cup with two tries from Josh Mahony and one by Tadhg Galvin. Dylan Barr kicked two conversions and  a penalty. Mikey Kelleher, James Reeves, and Nigel Clancy replied with tries for Richmond and Sean Considine kicked one conversion. Bandon will be away to Cork Constitution in the next round.

Mallow defeated Kanturk 24-10 with two tries from Dave Breen and Jimmy Glynn kicked four penalties and a conversion. Conor O’Sullivan and Bryan O’Sullivan were Kanturk’s try scorers. Mallow will now travel to Shannon in Round Four.

In the other Junior Cup tie played, Highfield defeated Scariff 31-7 at the Clare venue. Mark Healy scored two tries for the winners, and Noah Patterson and Con Butler got one each. Shane Buckley converted all four tries and also added a penalty. Massi Dorro scored  a try for Scariff and Conor Burke converted. Highfield will host either Clonakilty or Clanwilliam in the next round.

Four sides are battling it out for the two remaining top four places in Division One, that will qualify for next year’s All Ireland Junior Cup.

Thomond defeated Newcastle West 33-19 at Liam Fitzgerald Park, where the newly crowned champions were presented with the Munster Junior League Trophy by Senior Vice President of the Munster Branch Brendan Foley after the game. Tries from Cian Mulcahy and Liam Tracey and a conversion by Shane Airey gave Newcastle West an early 12-0 lead. Thomond hit back with three tries by Ryain Ahern and one each by Luke Costelloe and Pa Ryan. Evan Cusack added four conversions. Aaron Rice scored a try for the visitors in the final minutes and Airey converted.

Sunday’s Well kept their hopes of a top four finish alive with a convincing 48-10 home win over an undisciplined Thurles side, who had to play with at least fourteen players for three quarters of the game. Logan Henry scored two tries, four conversions and a penalty for the ‘Well. Finn MacFhlannchadha, Daniel Courtney, Adam Brown, Robert Egar and Shane O’Neill were the other Well try scorers with Egar also adding a conversion. Luke Kelly was credited with Thurles’s try and Jack Flanagan converted and also added a penalty.

Clonakilty’s hopes of a top four finish were dealt a big blow, when they lost 17-15 to relegated threatened Clanwilliam. Gavin Downey scored two tries for Clanwilliam and Edward Nolan one. Ben Downey kicked one conversion. Conor Hayes and Willie Tyner were Clonakilty’s try scorers and Eoin Downey kicked a conversion and a penalty.

Kilfeacle kept their hopes of a top four finish alive with an impressive 43-7 home win against Muskerry. Jacques van Wyngaardt, and Gavin Heuston each scored two tries for Kilfeacle. Rian Doody, and Kevin Doyle also scored tries as well as a penalty try. Luke Heuston kicked three conversions. Muskerry were awarded a penalty try.

Skibbereen moved up to fifth place after their 34-24 home victory over bottom side Charleville. David Shannon scored three tries for Skibb’ and Chris Benn and Adam Sheehan also crossed the line for tries. Daniel Kitson kicked three conversions and a penalty. Jack Doyle replied with two tries for Charleville and Dave Moloney got one. Kian Smith converted all three tries and also added a penalty.

Both St. Mary’s and Crosshaven took another step closer to a place in the top flight with bonus point victories.

Crosshaven won the game of the day when they travelled to Kinsale and put a big dent in the home side’s promotion chances with a 35-19 win. Anthony Sheehan scored two tries for Crosser’ and James Burke, Niall Deane and Harry O’Connell got one each. Jack O’Connell converted all five tries. Dave Looney replied with two tries for Kinsale and Evan O’Riordan got one. Dylan Lacey kicked two conversions.

St Mary’s had a facile 52-17 home win against Fermoy. Paul Lougheran contributed three tries and six conversions of the Saints tally, Tyrone O’Halloran, Laurence O’Regan, Keith Hyland, Zach Moloney and Craig Collopy also scored tries. Bobby Ryan and Dylan Foley replied with tries for Fermoy and Frankie O’Flynn converted both and also added a penalty.

St. Senan’s kept their slender chances of promotion alive with a 24-19 win at Ballincollig. Liam Murphy scored two tries for Senan’s and Darren McNamara and Jamie McNamara got one each. Craig Airey kicked two conversions. Ballincollig are now bottom of the table after this result with two games to play.

Youghal moved off the foot of the table with a surprising 27-14 away win in Tralee. Kevin Yellop, Scott O’Sullivan, Rob O’Dea, and Aaron Creamer scored tries for Youghal. Gavin Peevers and Liam Gannon replied with tries for Tralee and Seamus Lynn converted both.

Abbeyfeale eased their relegation worries with a 32-26 home win against Waterpark. James O’Sullivan and Diarmuid Buckley scored two tries each for Abbeyfeale, and Cillian Pegley and John Forde got one each. O’Sullivan added one conversion. Willie Walsh scored two tries, two conversions and four penalties for Waterpark.

Fethard and Cobh Pirates shared the spoils at Fethard when they played out a 22-22 draw, but the Pirates managed also to secure a four try bonus point, with tries from Conor O’Donovan, Alex Mulligan, Saul Kahn and Jack Worrall. Rory Pierce kicked one conversion. Paddy Gaynor, Philly O’Connor, and Robert Wall replied with tries for Fethard and Peter Wall kicked two conversions and a penalty.

Old Christians defeated Galbally-Mitchelstown 15-12 with tries from Josh Hopkins, and Harry Fitzgerald. Stuart Lee kicked a conversion and a penalty. Graham Bourke and John Kearns replied with tries for the home side and Pa Shanahan kicked a conversion.

Ennis were crowned Third Division champions after their 54-12 away win in Limerick against Ardscoil Old Boys. Cian Guilfoyle and Dylan Kenny each scored two tries for Ennis. Colm Kearney, Brendan Keane, Oscar O’Gorman, Oisin Mangan and Jack Scahill were their other try scorers. Kenny kicked three conversions and a penalty.  John Noonan and Eoin Sweeney replied with tries for Ardscoil and Jamie Moore kicked a conversion.

Castleisland also secured promotion from the Third Division with a 22-14 away win in Killarney. Joe Sheehy contributed a try, two conversions and a penalty to the ‘Island’s tally. Paul O’Sullivan and Shane Brosnan also scored tries. Alan Lynch and Adam Walsh replied with tries for Killarney Ciaran O’Brien converted both.

Killorglin defeated Chorca Dhuibhne 37-17 in another Kerry derby. Rob Lynch (2), Mikey Griffin, Tim Riordan, Barry Sheehan, Harry Forrest, and Mike Breen scored tries for Killorglin. Luke O’Shea kicked one conversion. Michael Walsh, Brian Ó Murchú, and Tomas Ó Sé replied with tries for the West Kerry Gaeltacht side.

Fionn Barry was the hero for Carrick-on-Suir when he scored all their points, a try, conversion and six penalties in their 25-12 home win against Waterford City. Hayden Casey and Seaghan Walsh replied with tries for the visitors and Casey also added a conversion.

Douglas lost at home to Dungarvan 29-12. David Hickey scored two tries, three conversions and a penalty for Dungarvan. Dan Slevin and Timmy McGrath got one each. Ivan O’Herlihy, and David McCarthy replied with tries for Douglas, and Anton Brennan kicked a conversion.