Energia All-Ireland League round-up

CLONTARF SEALED A home semi-final in Energia All-Ireland League Division 1A after defeating Cork Constitution 24-12 in business-like fashion.

‘Tarf showed their title credentials again, a dominant set piece and a three-try first half salvo setting them up to beat the defending champions who are still hanging on to the last play-off spot.

This was a hugely physical encounter, particularly at the breakdown, and Con, facing into a strong wind, fell behind following Conor Kelly’s 10th-minute penalty.

The north Dubliners went to the corner from a penalty on the half hour mark, Ed Brennan going close off the maul before fellow back rower Tony Ryan grounded the ball for a seven-pointer.

Good hands and angles of running off a quickly-taken penalty paved the way for ‘Tarf’s second converted score, with captain Matt D’Arcy sending his centre partner Michael Brown over. Kelly added a terrific touchline conversion.

Cork Con regrouped well but Cian O’Donoghue picked off a 56th-minute intercept try straight from Clontarf’s 22, widening the gap to 24 points.

Con returned fire with an intercept effort from Munster’s Alex McHenry, past the hour mark, and flanker John Forde touched down in the 78th minute. However, their late rally failed to produce a bonus point.

With two rounds remaining, Con have Young Munster and Dublin University breathing down their necks, just two and three points behind them respectively.

Trinity are right back in the play-off picture after picking up their second successive victory, winning 30-19 at Ballynahinch who are preparing for the relegation play-off.

Flanker Alan Francis impressed with a brace of tries, one of them following a defence-splitting break from Louis O’Reilly. The students’ maul was a major weapon on the day.

Terenure College moved into second place, ahead of Lansdowne’s clash with UCC tomorrow, thanks to a well-judged 18-12 defeat of Young Munster.

Defences were on top during a sun-kissed first half at Lakelands Park, but Jake Swaine slotted over two penalties to add to Terenure’s early opening try from powerful centre Colm de Buitléar for an 11-3 lead.

Strong maul defence from the Cookies, coupled with two Evan Cusack penalty goals, made it a two-point game, only for ‘Nure scrum half Alan Bennie to snipe over for a decisive 67th-minute try.

UCD climbed above Garryowen into seventh spot courtesy of a 33-27 defeat of the Light Blues at the UCD Bowl. The students recovered from Jonathan Fish’s early sin-binning to lead 21-10 at the break.

Centre David Ryan’s sixth try in seven games arrived just before half-time, but Garryowen hit back well on the restart with Munster’s Liam Coombes running in an intercept try and Tommy O’Hora also touching down.

With UCD captain Bobby Sheehan in the sin bin, Garryowen’s Evan Maher crossed to make it 27-21. However, the hosts’ brilliant late surge saw Jack Gardiner and Dylan O’Grady both dot down to deny the Limerick men.

ENERGIA ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE RESULTS:

DIVISION 1A:

BALLYNAHINCH 19 DUBLIN UNIVERSITY 30, Ballymacarn Park
Scorers: Ballynahinch: Tries: Ronan Patterson, Conor Rankin, Conor McAuley; Cons: Conor Rankin, Greg Hutley
Dublin University: Tries: Mark Nicholson, Alan Francis 2, Giuseppe Coyne; Cons: Mick O’Kennedy 2; Pens: Mick O’Kennedy 2
HT: Ballynahinch 7 Dublin University 10

BALLYNAHINCH: Conor Rankin; Ronan Patterson, George Pringle, Rory Butler, Aaron Cairns; Ryan Wilson, Chris Gibson; Ben Cullen, Conor Piper, John Dickson, Cormac Izuchukwu, Kyle Gill, Thomas Donnan, Bradley Luney, Callum Irvine.

Replacements: Ben Pentland, Harry McCormick, Tom Martin, Yasser Omar, Greg Hutley, Conor McAuley.

DUBLIN UNIVERSITY: Rob Russell; Liam McMahon, Matthew Jungmann, Gavin Jones, Ronan Quinn; Mick O’Kennedy (capt), Louis O’Reilly; Bart Vermeulen, Mark Nicholson, Thomas Connolly, Harry Sheridan, Jamie Berrisford, Aaron Coleman, Alan Francis, Diarmuid McCormack.

Replacements: Ben Nel, Giuseppe Coyne, Max Dunne, Jody Booth, Cormac King, Louis McDonough.

CORK CONSTITUTION 12 CLONTARF 24, Temple Hill
Scorers: Cork Constitution: Tries: John Forde, Alex McHenry; Con: Jack Crowley
Clontarf: Tries: Michael Brown, Cian O’Donoghue, Tony Ryan; Cons: Conor Kelly 3; Pen: Conor Kelly
HT: Cork Constitution 0 Clontarf 17

CORK CONSTITUTION: Jack Crowley; JJ O’Neill, Alex McHenry, Niall Kenneally, Sean French; Aidan Moynihan (capt), Duncan Williams; Brendan Quinlan, Max Abbott, Rory Burke, Conor Kindregan, Cian Barry, John Forde, James Murphy, Luke Cahill.

Replacements: Luke McAuliffe, Paddy Casey, Eoin Quilter, Matisse Lamarque d’Arrouzat, Gerry Hurley, Rob Jermyn.

CLONTARF: Tadhg Bird; Seni Reilly Ashiru, Michael Brown, Matt D’Arcy (capt), Cian O’Donoghue; Conor Kelly, Angus Lloyd; Ivan Soroka, Dylan Donnellan, Ben Griffin, Cormac Daly, Fionn Gilbert, Alex Soroka, Ed Brennan, Tony Ryan.

Replacements: Cathal O’Flynn, Darragh Bolger, James Horgan, Andrew Feeney, Ben Woods, Vincent Gavin.

TERENURE COLLEGE 18 YOUNG MUNSTER 12, Lakelands Park
Scorers: Terenure College: Tries: Colm de Buitléar, Alan Bennie; Con: Jake Swaine; Pens: Jake Swaine 2
Young Munster: Pens: Evan Cusack 4
HT: Terenure College 11 Young Munster 3

TERENURE COLLEGE: Adam La Grue; Jake Swaine, Colm de Buitléar, Peter Sylvester, Craig Adams; Cathal Marsh, Alan Bennie; Campbell Classon, Levi Vaughan, Adam Tuite, Matthew Caffrey, Michael Melia, Harrison Brewer (capt), Luke Clohessy, Jordan Coghlan.

Replacements: Dewald Barnard, Conor McCormack, Mike Murphy, Conall Boomer, James Thornton, Sam Coghlan Murray.

YOUNG MUNSTER: Cian Casey; Conor Hayes, Pa Ryan, Harry Fleming, Conor Phillips; Evan Cusack, Donnacha O’Callaghan; David Begley, Shane Malone, Conor Bartley, Tom Goggin, Sean Rigney, Eoin O’Connor, Conor Moloney, Bailey Faloon.

Replacements: Kean Sheehy, Paul Allen, Evan O’Gorman, Liam Neilan, Jack Lyons, Stephen Lyons.

UCD 33 GARRYOWEN 27, UCD Bowl
Scorers: UCD: Tries: David Ryan, James Tarrant, Alex O’Grady, Jack Gardiner, Dylan O’Grady; Cons: James Tarrant 4
Garryowen: Tries: Jack Delaney, Liam Coombes, Colm Quilligan, Tommy O’Hora, Evan Maher; Con: Michael Sheahan
HT: UCD 21 Garryowen 17

UCD: Dylan O’Grady; Ross Deegan, David Ryan, James Tarrant, Alex O’Grady; Tim Corkery, Richie Fahy; Rory Mulvihill, Bobby Sheehan (capt), Chris Hennessy, Jonathan Fish, Gerry Hill, Jack Gardiner, Cian Reilly, Simon Burke.

Replacements: Killian McQuaid, Evin Coyle, Fergus Hughes, Paddy Patterson, Luke Maloney, Harry Donnelly.

GARRYOWEN: Colm Quilligan; Evan Maher, Liam Coombes, Matthew Sheehan, Tommy O’Hora; Jack Delaney, Ed Barry; Mark Donnelly, Kieran McCarthy, James Kendrick, Tim Ferguson, Kevin Seymour (capt), Des Fitzgerald, Jack Madden, Cian Hurley.

Replacements: Dylan Murphy, Darragh McCarthy, Scott Leahy, Oisin Cooke, Michael Sheahan, Rory Desmond.

LANSDOWNE v UCC, Aviva Stadium, back pitch, Sunday

DIVISION 1B:

MALONE 29 OLD BELVEDERE 42, Gibson Park
Scorers: Malone: Tries: Teigan Erasmus, Rory Campbell, Ben McCaughey, Zach Devine; Cons: Rory Campbell 3; Pen: Rory Campbell
Old Belvedere: Tries: David Butler 2, Joe Horan, Ariel Robles, Jack Keating, Colm Hogan; Cons: Justin Leonard 3; Pens: Justin Leonard 2
HT: Malone 3 Old Belvedere 11

MALONE: Aaron Sexton; Andy Bryans, David McMaster, Ben McCaughey, Rory Campbell; Callum Smith, Shane Kelly, Ben Halliday; Dan Kerr, Aidan McSwiggan, Adam McNamee, James McAlister, Harry Andrews, Dave Cave (capt), Teigan Erasmus.

Replacements: Zach Devine, Ricky Greenwood, Stewart McKendrick, Jonny Betts, Conor Spence, Lee Barlow.

OLD BELVEDERE: Colm Hogan; Jack Keating, David Butler, Justin Leonard, Ariel Robles; David Wilkinson, Peter O’Beirne; James Bollard, Joe Horan, Ryan McMahon, Will McDonald, Connor Owende (capt), Paddy Dowling, Calum Dowling, Colin Mallon.

Replacements: Hugh Flood, Tom Mulcair, Eoghan Fitzgerald, Aaron Atkinson, Josh Pyper, Jack Gilheany.

NAAS 27 HIGHFIELD 22, Forenaughts
Scorers: Naas: Tries: Ryan Casey, Peter King, Donal Conroy; Cons: Peter Osborne 3; Pens: Peter Osborne 2
Highfield: Tries: Mark Dorgan, Ronán O’Sullivan, Paddy O’Toole; Cons: Shane O’Riordan 2; Pen: Shane O’Riordan
HT: Naas 10 Highfield 10

NAAS: Peter Osborne (capt); Donal Conroy, Matt Stapleton, Craig Ronaldson, Sam Cahill; Bryan Croke, Connor Halpenny; Adam Coyle, John Sutton, Peter King, Patrick O’Flaherty, David Benn, Paul Monahan, Ryan Casey, Paulie Tolofua.

Replacements: Connor Johnson, Jack Coyle, Cillian Dempsey, Will O’Brien, Tim Murphy, Gary Kavanagh.

HIGHFIELD: Sam Burns; Ben Murphy, James Taylor, Mark Dorgan, Luke Kingston; Shane O’Riordan, Chris Banon (capt); James Rochford, Travis Coomey, Daragh Fitzgerald, Dave O’Connell, Fintan O’Sullivan, Ryan Murphy, Ronán O’Sullivan, Miah Cronin.

Replacements: Robert Murphy, Mick Dillane, Eoin Keating, Eddie Earle, Dave O’Sullivan, Paddy O’Toole.

NAVAN 14 OLD WESLEY 50, Balreask Old
Scorers: Navan: Tries: Sean McEntagart, Evan Dixon; Cons: Ben Daly, Mark Farrell
Old Wesley: Tries: Ben Burns, Ian Cassidy 2, Paddy McKenzie, Brendan Monahan, Alex Molloy, Tommy O’Callaghan, Paul Harte; Cons: Paddy McKenzie 4, Tommy O’Callaghan
HT: Navan 0 Old Wesley 17

NAVAN: Paddy Fox; Mark Coen, Evan Dixon, Riaan van der Vyver, Sean McEntagart; Ben Daly, Mark Farrell; Alex McGoey, Dave Clarke, Eoin King, Eoghan Noonan, Leigh Jackson, Conor Hand, Ben McEntagart, Conor Ryan.

Replacements: Eoin O’Reilly, Ronan Hannon, Andrew Beggy, Shane Walshe, Colm O’Reilly, Keith Kavanagh.

OLD WESLEY: Alex Molloy; Tommy O’Callaghan, Eoin Deegan, David Poff, Brendan Monahan; Paddy McKenzie, Ian Cassidy; Cronan Gleeson, Ben Burns, Rob O’Donovan, JJ O’Dea, Iain McGann, Will Fay, Josh Pim, Reuben Pim.

Replacements: Robert Byrne, Harry Noonan, Sam Kenny, Brian Short, Paul Harte, Bill Corrigan.

SHANNON 29 CITY OF ARMAGH 20, Thomond Park back pitch
Scorers: Shannon: Tries: Aran Hehir, Alan Flannery, Jamie McGarry, Penalty try; Cons: John O’Sullivan try, Pen try con; Pen: John O’Sullivan
City of Armagh: Tries: Matthew Hooks, Tim McNiece; Cons: Harry Boyd 2; Pens: Harry Boyd 2
HT: Shannon 26 City of Armagh 13

SHANNON: Jamie McGarry; Ikem Ugwueru, Killian Dineen, Alan Flannery, Jack O’Donnell; John O’Sullivan, Aran Hehir; Conor Glynn, Jordan Prenderville, Luke Rigney, Jade Kriel, David Maher, Odhran Ring, Kelvin Brown, Lee Nicholas (capt).

Replacements: Declan Moore, Darragh McSweeney, Kieran Ryan, John Bateman, Ian Leonard, Sean McCarthy.

CITY OF ARMAGH: Shea O’Brien; Andrew Willis, Evin Crummie, Tim McNiece (capt), Matthew Hooks; Harry Boyd, Gerard Treanor; Paul Mullen, Jack Treanor, Philip Fletcher, James Crummie, John Glasgow, Nigel Simpson, James Hanna, Ryan O’Neill.

Replacements: Jonny Morton, Dylan Poyntz, James Morton, Sam Glasgow, Kyle Faloon, Dylan Nelson.

ST. MARY’S COLLEGE 34 BANBRIDGE 10, Templeville Road
Scorers: St. Mary’s College: Tries: Ian Wickham, Conor Dean, Hugo Conway, Penalty try; Cons: Conor Dean 3, Pen try con; Pens: Conor Dean 2
Banbridge: Tries: Robin Sinton, Adam Doherty
HT: St. Mary’s College 17 Banbridge 5

ST. MARY’S COLLEGE: Ryan O’Loughlin; Hugo Conway, Myles Carey, Mick O’Gara, Craig Kennedy; Conor Dean, Colm Reilly; Adam Mulvihill, Richie Halpin (capt), Michael McCormack, Ian Wickham, Peter Starrett, David Aspil, Niall Hurley, Ronan Watters.

Replacements: Steven O’Brien, Tom O’Reilly, Nick McCarthy, Adam McEvoy, Matt Timmons, Liam Curran.

BANBRIDGE: Adam Doherty; Conor Field, Joe Finnegan, Ben Carson, Josh Cromie; Andrew Morrison, Neil Kilpatrick; Michael Cromie (capt), Peter Cromie, Stuart Cromie, Alex Thompson, Chris Allen, Max Lyttle, David McCann, Robin Sinton.

Replacements: Josh Chambers, Ryan Emerson, Brendan McSorley, Alex Weir, Aaron Kennedy, Ross Cartmill.

DIVISION 2A:

Cashel 22 UL Bohemians 15, Spafield
Dolphin 29 Queen’s University 46, Musgrave Park
MU Barnhall 24 Rainey Old Boys 21, Parsonstown
Nenagh Ormond 19 Buccaneers 36, New Ormond Park
Old Crescent 25 Ballymena 17, Takumi Park

DIVISION 2B:

Ballina 10 Belfast Harlequins 21, Heffernan Park
Blackrock College 33 Galwegians 18, Stradbrook
Dungannon 22 Wanderers 15, Stevenson Park
Galway Corinthians 33 Greystones 21, Corinthian Park
Malahide 28 Sligo 25, Estuary Road

DIVISION 2C:

City of Derry 23 Sunday‘s Well 19, Judge’s Road
Clonmel 24 Bruff 25, Ardgaoithe
Midleton 24 Bangor 8, Towns Park
Omagh Academicals 14 Enniscorthy 17, Thomas Mellon Playing Fields
Tullamore 23 Skerries 17, Spollanstown