Senior Rugby Round-up

Shannon and U.L. Bohemian now level on points at the bottom of Division 1A after Boh’s claim a vital 15-3 victory over St. Mary’s College.

U.L. Bohemian must travel to Cork to face their bogey team, Cork Constitution next week in a final attempt to preserve their top grade status.

The Limerick side caused a big upset at Annacotty, when they beat St. Mary's in a game that failed to produce. That will not worry U.L. Bohemian who capitalised on indiscipline by the visitors who were penalised twice inside nineteen minutes for not releasing the ball. Each time Ben Martin exacted full punishment by landing the kicks.

Second row, Darragh Frawley landed a huge penalty and six minutes before the interval, former Munster player Mossie Lawler, dropped a neat goal to make it 12-0 at the break.

U.L. Bohemian got a scare fifteen minutes into the second half when Gavin Dunne was successful with a penalty for the visitors, but home nerves were settled when Martin landed his third penalty nineteen minutes from the end.

Scorers: UL Bohemian: Pens: B. Martin (3), D. Frawley (1); Drop: M. Lawler St Mary's College: Pen: G. Dunne

Young Munster brought an end to their six match run of defeats and gave coach Mike Prendergast the ideal going away present by bagging the points against their great local rivals, Shannon, at Clifford Park.

As local derbies go this was always going the way of Young Munster who had thirteen points on board without response by half time.

Highlight of that half was the only try which was a superb individual effort by Darragh O'Neill. He gained possession near halfway and took off on a run that culminated with a try which fly-half Shane O' Leary converted. That had Young Munster in front 7-0 and a brace of penalties by O' Leary completed the first half scoring.

The sin-binning of Rob Guerin did not help Shannon's cause and nine minutes into the second half Young Munster struck again for a second try with Mark Doyle touching down far out this time.

Shannon had a couple of chances of trying to engineer what might have brought a losing bonus point but a knock-on proved costly.

Scorers: Young Munster: Tries: D O'Neill, M Doyle; Pens: S O'Leary (2); Cons S O'Leary (1)

A brace of tries from Munster Rugby’s Barry O’ Mahony saw Garryowen claim the spoils at Musgrave Park.

Barry Keeshan missed the chance to give Dolphin an early lead after his penalty in the eleventh minute sailed wide of the posts. A great break from scrum-half Neil Cronin put Garryowen on the attack, spreading the ball from right to left. From the base of the ruck, Cronin passed the ball to O’ Mahony who spotted a gap in the Dolphin defence and crossed for his first of the afternoon. Andrew O’ Byrne converted and the visitors lead 7-0 fifteen minutes in.

O’ Mahony was involved again, minutes later when himself and Dave Sherry burst up the midfield, passing the ball back and forth to each other only to eventually be halted by the home side. It wasn’t long before Dolphin were on the attack when Rory Scannell broke down the left wing with Miah Cronin in support. It looked like Cronin was in only he was stopped just short of the line. Dave Hartnett was thought to have crossed the whitewash seconds later, but it was called back for a five-metre scrum. Dolphin were then awarded a penalty in the twenty-fourth minute and Keeshan closed the gap to 7-3.

The home side were reduced to fourteen men four minutes later, when Rob O’ Herlihy was shown a yellow card. Garryowen were then awarded a penalty in the thirty-second minute, off a Dolphin scrum directly in front of the posts and O’ Byrne extended the lead to 10-3 heading in the break.

The second half opened with a Dolphin penalty, from which Keeshan reduced the gap to 10-6. Then in the forty-ninth minute, a huge drive from Garryowen from a line-out on the Dolphin five metre line saw Barry O’ Mahony touch down for his second. O’ Byrne’s conversion from the touch-line went wide to bring the final score-line to 15-6.

Dolphin: Eamon Mills, James Kiernan, Danny Barnes, Rory Scannell, Garrett Ó Suillibhean, Barry Keeshan (Capt), Chris Bannon, Dave Hartnett, Will Foley, John Leahy, Dave O’ Mahony, Darren O’ Shea, Rob O’ Herlihy, Miah Cronin, Ryan Murphy Replacements: Niall Scannell, Stevie Randles, John Quill, Brian Slater, Cian Bohane.

Garryowen: Rory O’ Mahony, Sean Scanlon, Eamon Connolly, Conan Doyle, Cian O’ Shea, Andrew O’ Byrne, Neil Cronin, Rory Brosnan, Dave Rowley, Peter O’ Shea, Aaron McCloskey, Alan Kennedy, TJ Anderson, Barry O’ Mahony, Dave Sherry (Capt) Replacements: James Rael, Brendan Cullinane, Anthony Kavanagh, James McInerney, Lorcan Burke.

Scorers: Dolphin: Pens: Barry Keeshan (2)?Garryowen: Tries: Barry O'Mahony (2); Con: Andrew O'Byrne; Pen: Andrew O'Byrne?

Despite trailing at the break, second half tries from James Ryan and Brian Hayes helped Cork Constitution to a 22-18 victory away to Clontarf at Castle Avenue. While Johnny Holland scored a try of his own and kicked two conversions and a penalty. The win takes them within a single point of their opponents who sit in second place heading into the final weekend of fixtures which sees Cork Constitution host U.L. Bohemian who are facing a relegation battle with Shannon.

Scorers: Clontarf: Tries: Tom Byrne, Michael McGrath; Con: Richie Lane; Pens: Richie Lane (2). Cork Constitution: Tries: James Ryan, Johnny Bad Day For Munster Clubs

Bruff’s reign as a First Division side came to an end when they lost away to Dublin University 52-7 and so they will be playing in Division 2A next season. Mike McMahon scored Bruff’s try and Brian Carroll converted.

Cashel were the only Munster side to win in Division 2A as they completed their campaign with a 17-14 victory over Bective Rangers. Ed Leamy and Pat O’Connor scored tries for the winners and O’Connor converted both and also added a penalty.

U.C.C. lost away to champions Terenure College 33-19.

In a high scoring game at Rosbrien City of Derry defeated Old Crescent 46-33 in a tie that produced twelve tries. Graham O’Keeffe and Alan Bennie each scored two tries for the home side and Simon Malone got one. Kevin Meade kicked three conversions and O’Keeffe one.

Highfield lost eight of their last nine games when Galwegians defeated them at Woodleigh Park 26-10. Paddy Ryan and Cyprian Jouve each scored a try for the home side.

Midleton finished their campaign with a 24-16 home win over Old Wesley bit it was not enough to keep the East Cork in Division 2A next season. A Paul Daly penalty gave Midleton a 3-0 interval lead. Late tries from Aidan McCarthy, Robert Colan-O’Leary and Gearoid Collins all converted by Colan-O’Leary earned the home a victory but it was not enough to avoid relegation.

Nenagh Ormond finished their campaign in Division 2B with a 29-11 home win over second placed NUIM Barnhall but it was not enough to get them into the playoff position. Rory O’Brien, Shane O’Callaghan, Derek Corcoran and David Corcoran each scored tries for the Tipperary side and David Corcoran kicked three conversions and a penalty.

At the other end of the table three Munster sides were battling to avoid the relegation play off against Richmond next week.
Thomond made certain of retaining their status with a 24-17 home win over Sligo. The Limerick side led 7-3 at half time with a try from Rob Brockert which John Lillis converted. Des Fitzgerald and Fernando Gallant added tries after the break and Lillis converted both and also added a penalty.

Sunday’s Well lost away to Ards 17-14. Shane O’Sullivan opened the scoring with a try for the ‘Well but the home side rallied to lead 17-5 at half time with the aid of a strong wind. Three penalties by Shane O’Riordan after the break secured a bonus point for the Cork side which sees them finish third last in the table.

Clonakilty put up a brave fight away to champions Rainey Old Boys before going down 33-17. They will now play Richmond in the play off next Saturday to decide which will be playing In Division 2B next season. Michael John Coleman and James Deasy scored tries for Clonakilty and Deasy converted both and also added a penalty.

Ulster Bank League Division 1A:

Clontarf 18 Cork Constitution 22
Dolphin 6 Garryowen 15
U.L. Bohemian 15 St. Mary's College 3
Young Munster 18 Shannon 0
Lansdowne 18 Old Belvedere 34 (Played on Friday)

Division 1B:

Ballynahinch 20 Blackrock College 16
Belfast Harlequins 10 Dungannon 16
Buccaneers 9 Ballymena 6
Dublin University 52 Bruff 7
U.C.D. 38 Malone 7

Division 2A:

Banbridge 58 D.L.S.P. 0
Bective Rangers 14 Cashel 17
Corinthians 53 Seapoint 10
Greystones 26 Queens University 10
Highfield 10 Galwegians 26
Midleton 24 Old Wesley 15
Old Crescent 33 City of Derry 46
Terenure College 33 U.C.C. 19

Division 2B:

Ards 17 Sunday's Well 14
Boyne 25 Skerries 11
City of Armagh 64 Connemara 17
Naas 55 Instonians 0
Navan 20 Suttonians 6

Nenagh Ormond 29 NUIM Barnhall 11

Rainey Old Boys 33 Clonakilty 17

Thomond 24 Sligo 17

All Ireland Provincial League Championship:

Monivea 17 Tullamore 26
Portadown 5 Richmond 15