Ulster Bank League Roundup

Young Munster move closer to the top of Division1A as Blackrock College and Old Belvedere slip closer to relegation.

Shannon 20, Young Munster 23
Young Munster staged a great comeback to keep their league title hopes alive with a dramatic late winner over Shannon at Thomond Park on Friday night.
Felix Jones made a return to action after a lengthy injury for Shannon and Young Munster gave debuts to both Johnny Murphy and Ian Keatley.
Shannon went in front with a penalty from Tadgh Bennett after nine minutes. Staunton equalised shortly after and then Shannon hit a purple patch as they went 20-3 ahead after thirty two minutes with tries from Paddy Butler and Richie Mullane and Bennett converted both and also added a penalty.
Munster’s pack were beginning to get on top and having opted for scrums from penalties instead of kicking the points “The Cookies” were rewarded with a penalty try which Staunton converted to leave it 20-10 at the break.
With twenty minutes remaining Munster’s were four points behind thanks to two Staunton penalties. They dominated the final twenty minutes but had to wait until two minutes from time to gain the lead when Shannon were reduced to thirteen with yellow cards for Stephen Keogh and John Clogan, Munsters won a line out and mauled their way over the line and hooker Ger Slattery touched down and Staunton converted for a three point lead.
More drama was to follow when Munster’s were penalised for an off the ball incident and Bennett tried to level with a kick from the half way line but his effort fell short.
Scorers Shannon: Paddy Butler, Richie Mullane tries, Tadgh Bennett 2 cons, 2 pens
Young Munster: Pen Try, Ger Slattery try, Willie Staunton 2 cons, 3 pens.
Shannon: Felix Jones; Luke O’Dea, Richie Mullane, Mossie Lawler, Shane McNamara; Tadgh Bennett, R. Guerin; Les Hogan, John Deegan, Kevin Griffin; Stephen Keogh, Fergal Walsh; Paddy. Butler, James Murphy, Dave Quinlan.
Replacements: G McNamara for James Murphy 37, John Clogan for Lawler 48, Dan Heffernan for Walsh 57.
Young Munster: Ray Moloney; Johnny Murphy, Andrew Burke, Ian Keatley, Mark Doyle; Willie Staunton, Mike Prendergast; Alan Cotter, Ger Slattery, Hugh McGrath (Ger Flaherty 70); Darren Gallagher, Shane O’Neill (Johnny Moloney 67); Liam Og Murphy, James O’Neill, Neville Melbourne.
Replacements: Johnny Moloney for O’Neill 67, Ger Flaherty for McGrath 73, McGrath for Cotter 77.
Referee, Ollie Hodges (IRFU).

Dolphin 12, St. Mary’s College 8.
St. Mary’s league aspirations suffered a setback at Musgrave Park as Dolphin dented their title hopes with a deserved victory.
Two penalties from Barry Keeshan gave Dolphin a 6-0 interval lead.
Mark Sexton closed the gap to a point early in the second half with a try for Mary’s, but Keeshan replied with a drop goal and penalty for Dolphin for a 12-5 lead.
Ray Crotty kept the visitors in touch with a penalty to ensure the Dublin side got a losing bonus point.
Scorers Dolphin: B Keeshan 3 pens, drp gl,
St. Mary’s College: M Sexton try, R Crotty pen.
Dolphin: Eamonn Mills; Cian Bohane, Eric Moloney, Danny Barnes, Kevin Lynch; Barry Keeshan, Chris Bannon; James Cronin, Andy O’Driscoll, Christy Condon; Dave O’Mahony, Rob O’Herlihy; Dave O’Callaghan, John Quill, Ryan Murphy.
Replacements: John Leahy, Gavin Duffy, Chris Rowe, John Cleary, Harry Fleming.
St Marys College: Conor Hogan; Ray Crotty, Stephen Grissing, Mark Sexton, Marcus O’Driscoll; Philip Brophy, Matt D’Arcy; Colm McNamara, Rory Brosnan, Robert Sweeney; Gareth Logan, Damien Hall, Barry O’Flanagan, Gareth Austin, Hugh Hogan.
Replacements: Kevin Carroll, Chris Lilly, Rory Brosnan.

Cork Constitution 43, Blackrock College 6.
A second half performance that produced five tries saw Cork Constitution put themselves back in the league race with this victory.
Blackrock got off to a great start with a penalty from Darragh Fitzpatrick inside the opening minute but the lead did not last long as Sean Scanlon went in for a try for the Temple Hill side and Gerry Hurley converted after seven minutes. Fitzpatrick kicked a second penalty for the visitors on fifteen minutes to leave it 7-6 at half time.
It was all one way traffic after the break with Scott Deasy and Ivan Dineen each scoring two tries and Robert Clune one for the home side. Gerry Hurley converted four of them and also added a penalty.
Scorers Cork Constitution: Scott Deasy, Ivan Dineen 2 tries each, Sean Scanlon, Robert Clune tries, Gerry Hurley 5 cons, pen.
Blackrock College: Darragh Fitzpatrick 2 pens.
Cork Constitution: Sean Scanlon; Cathal Quinn, Ivan Dineen, Scott Deasy Niall O’Driscoll; Johnny Holland, Gerry Hurley;Brian Cagney, John Fogarty, John Ryan; Philip Donnellan, Brian Hayes; Cathal O’Flaherty, Brian O’Hara, James Ryan’
Replacements: Andrew Cudmore, Brendan Curttriss, Darragh Lyons, Robert Clune, C Corkery.Fogarty.
Blackrock College: Dylan Symonds; David Rowan, Jan Simon Byrne, Rob Keogh, Mark Scott Lennon; Darragh Fitzpatrick, Marcus Walsh; Jonathan Barretto, Ryan Fisher, Arthur Lyons; Des.Dillon, Alex Dunlop; Tyronne Moran, Peter Mc Cague, Max Connelly.
Replacements: Sean Byrne, Richard Liddy, Ross Mc Cormack, Brett Thompson, Gavin Greene

Garryowen 38 Lansdowne 11 (Cormac Liddy)
Garryowen turned on the style in the ideal conditions and scored five tries against a greatly under strength Lansdowne side at Dooradoyle.
Captain Mark Melbourne sent Garryowen on their way to victory when he had the first of the five tries after nine minutes which Declan Cusack converted.
Four minutes later the visitors opened their account with a penalty from Andy Geraghty.
Cusack and Geraghty exchanged penalties before Lansdowne hit the front for the first and only time when Matt Healy got in for an unconverted try.
Garryowen got back the lead thanks to a delightful try by Ronan O’Mahony who rounded off a three quarters movement. Again Cusack converted.
Garryowen's indiscipline could have been costly but twice in quick succession Geraghty missed penalties.
Just on halftime the influential Mark Melbourne had to retire with a knee injury and he was replaced by Frank McKenna who almost got in for an early second half try.
Midway in the half Paul Neville picked up at the base of a maul and off loaded to Neil Cronin who scored a try which Cusack again converted.
Neville was then sin binned for a high tackle on Alan Matthews who had to retire injured with the score at 24-11.
The Light Blues finished in superb manner with two late tries. Dave Sherry won a line-out and the ball was moved wide for Cusack to touchdown and he also converted and in the fifth minute of added time Lorcan Bourke completed a great day for the home side with a try which Fergal Lawler converted.
Scorers Garryowen: Declan Cusack try, pen, 5 cons, Mark Melbourne, Ronan O'Mahony, Neil Cronin, Lorcan Bourke tries.
Lansdowne: Matt Healy try, Andy Geraghty 2 pens.
Garryowen: Lorcan Bourke; Ronan O’Mahony, Corey Hircock, Declan Cusack, Ian hanly; Fergal Lawlor, Neil Cronin; JP Cooney, Mike Sherry, P O’Shea; Mark Melbourne, Dave Sherry; Paul Neville, K o’Gorman, L. Vai Pulu.
Replacements: D. Rowley, D Lavery, Frank McKenna, S Buckley, Alan Gaughan.
Lansdowne: Ross McCarron; Cian Aherne, Sean Carey, M Roche, Matt Healy; Craig Ronaldson, Andy Geraghty; Ian Prendeville, Tom Sexton, Darren O’Reilly; Marc Feely, Willie Earls; Jordi Murphy, Jason Kelly, Ron Boucher.
Replacements: S Smith, D Toomey, Alan Matthews, P O’Driscoll, S McCarron.

Div 1B

Bruff 27, UCD 10 (Cormac Liddy)
Tenth placed Bruff had an impressive win at Kilballyowen in Division 1B after they made a splendid start.
Brian Cahill was on target with a penalty after ten minutes and five minutes later John Shine got in for a try which Cahill converted to make it 10-0.
Niall Earls was on target with a UCD penalty when the home side were penalised in a ruck.
Bruff remained on top and their pack dominated all the way. This was evidenced after 29 minutes when Mike Carroll had a try which Cahill again converted.
But UCD, in seventh place going into the game, battled on and were rewarded with a try by Tom Fletcher which Earls converted.
A penalty by Cahill moved Bruff to double scores, 20-10, and eighth minutes from the end Bruff clinched the win when Shine got over for his second try and again the accuracy of Cahill was not found wanting when he landed the conversion.
Scorers Bruff: John Shine 2 tries, Mike Carroll try, Brian Cahill 2 pens, 3 cons.
U.C.D.: Tom Fletcher try, Niall Earls con, pen.
Bruff: Brendan Deady; Tom O’Callaghan, Paul O’Brien, John Carroll, Brian Carroll; Brian Cahill, Eoghan Maher; David Horan, Cathal O’Regan, Ger Collins; Brian Horan, Brian Morrissey; Alan Bourke, John Shine, Michael Carroll.
Replacements: Colm O'Sullivan, John Hogan, Paudge Clery, Gary Leonard, Andrew Cashman.
U.C.D.: Michael Twomey: Andy Boyle, Andy Cummiskey, Alex Kelly, Tom Fletcher; Niall Earls, Peter Du Toit; Kieran Moloney, David Doyle, Brian Hall; Brian Cawley, Keelan McKenna; Danny Kenny, Mark Mc Groarty, Shane Grannell.
Replacements: James Tracey, Risteard Byrne, Alan O’Connor, Shane O’Meara, David Lynch.

Buccaneers 9, U.L. Bohemian 15
U.L. Bohemian put a big dent on Buccaneers promotions hopes with this victory at Dubarry Park.
Dave Kilcoyne and Brian Walsh were try scorers for U.L. and Ed Torrie kicked a penalty and a conversion.
Scorers: Buccaneers: Jack Carty 3 Pens:
U.L. Bohemians: Dave Kilcoyne, Brian Walsh Tries, Ed Torrie Pen, Con.
Buccaneers: John O’Brien; Mark McCrea, Paul Harte, Adam Kennedy, Calum Boland; Jack Carty, Mark Dolan; Martin Staunton, Sean Stapleton, Shane Reilly; Michael Kearney, James Tormey; Padraig de Burca, Gareth Halligan, Eoghan Grace.
Replacements: Conor Lavelle, Benny Gilligan, Rory Byrne, Alex Hayman, A Connaughton.
U.L. Bohemian: Darren Moroney; Rory White, Martin McPhail, Niall Kenneally, Finbarr Ahern; Ed Torrie, Cathal Sheridan; Dave Kilcoyne, Sean Henry, Kevin Flanagan; Ed Kelly, Conor Kindregan; Tommy O’Donnell, Eddie Rossiter, Sean Rennison,
Replacements: Gary Walsh, Brian Walsh, Darragh Frawley, Dale Harris, Derek Farrell.

U.C.C. 13, Ballynahinch 12
A second half comeback from 12-5 down at half time saw U.C.C. win their second game of the campaign and boosted their hopes of avoiding the drop, while this defeat will be a blow to the Co. Down side’s hopes of promotion from Division 1B.
A try by Jerry Cronin converted by James Lash gave Ballynahinch an early lead at the Mardyke. Denis Hurley kept the students in touch with a try, but a second try by James Simpson made it 12-5 to the Ulster side at the break.
A try from Wayne Falvey and a penalty by Luke Duffy saw College secure the win.
Scorers U.C.C.: Denis Hurley, Wayne Falvey tries, Luke Duffy pen.
Ballynahinch: Jerry Cronin, James Simpson tries, James Lash con.
U.C.C.: Denis Hurley; Michael Deane, Kevin Slater, Luke Duffy, Joe Holland; Patrick Parfrey, Brian Slater; Peter McCabe, Wayne Falvey, Paddy Ryan; Brian Quill, James Mulcahy; Willie Ryan, Johnny MacCarthy, Luke Cahill.
Replacements: Ronan O’Neill, Dara Mc Namara, Cyprien Jouve, Shane Moynihan, Dave O’Connell, Brian O’Callaghan Ballynahinch: David Nicholson; Aaron Ferris, Stuart Morrow, James Thompson, Robin Harte; James Lash, Harry McAleese; Jonny Simpson, Neil Hanna, Jerry Cronin; John Donnan, Chris Napier; Jonny Madden, James Simpson, Jonny Graham.
Replacements: Aaron Cairns, Mark McCormick, Toby Manus, Gavin Armstrong, Fergal Lynch.

Results:
Ulster Bank League Division 1A: Cork Constitution 43, Blackrock College 6;
Dolphin 12, St. Mary's College 8;
Garryowen 38, Lansdowne 11;
Old Belvedere 13, Clontarf 25;
Shannon 20, Young Munster 23;

Division 1B: Bruff 27, U.C.D. 10;
Buccaneers 9, U.L. Bohemian 15;
Dungannon 17, Belfast Harlequins 44;
Galwegians 22, Ballymena 27;
U.C.C. 13, Ballynahinch 12;