Second half tries from wingers Shane Donovan and Harry Moore made all the difference as Terenure College beat hosts St. Mary’s College 20-14 in today’s ‘Battle of Dublin 6W’ at Templeville Road.
Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt was the guest speaker at the pre-match lunch and his prediction on Irish Rugby TV that Terenure would overturn a 8-3 half-time deficit rang true.
The result continues ‘Nure’s excellent start to life in Division 1A and extends their enviable winning run in the Ulster Bank League to a mammoth 25 matches – their last defeat coming against Corinthians in Division 2A back in February 2013.
St. Mary’s, who lost their league opener at UCD, made the better start to this hotly-anticipated derby. Full-back Gavin Dunne missed an initial penalty, before Dunne and Marcus O’Driscoll were involved in sending winger Stuart O’Flanagan over in the right corner for a 16th minute try.
Dunne then added a penalty from 35 metres out to give the home side a further boost. Terenure were frustrated by turnovers and a Mark O’Neill penalty attempt that hit the woodwork, however the out-half did open their account in injury-time of the first half.
A second successful O’Neill kick, four minutes after the restart, closed the gap further before Dunne seemed to steady the Mary’s ship with a well-struck penalty for 11-6.
Nonetheless, Terenure were beginning to cause serious problems for the Mary’s defence and Cathal Marsh had to react quickly to prevent an almost certain try for ‘Nure full-back James O’Donoghue past the hour mark.
Cathal Marsh makes a break for St Mary's. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Soon after, an overlap from an attacking scrum saw centre Stephen O’Neill offload for Donovan to cross for his second try in as many games. Mark O’Neill’s conversion put James Blaney’s side ahead for the first time.
Mark O’Neill missed a 72nd minute penalty attempt but the result was effectively put beyond doubt when Moore cut through for a seven-pointer with five minutes left.
With that, the Dr. Mick Smyth Cup and local bragging rights were in Terenure’s grasp, although Mary’s managed to register their second losing bonus point on the bounce thanks to Dunne’s third penalty of the afternoon.
Cork Constitution 13-16 Lansdowne
Scott Deasy held his nerve to convert an 84th minute penalty for Lansdowne and hand his former club Cork Constitution their second defeat on the trot.
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Mike Ruddock’s men emerged as 16-13 winners at Temple Hill despite a spirited second half revival from Con, who had tries from centre Niall Kenneally and flanker James Murphy.
Out-half Deasy was again Lansdowne’s orchestrator-in-chief, with his neat chip through putting young winger Ian Fitzpatrick over for a fourth minute try. Deasy’s conversion and two penalties cancelled out a lone three-pointer from Gerry Hurley.
Lansdowne still led 13-3 with 12 minutes left, but Kenneally and Murphy scored in a terrific nine-minute spell for Con to bring them level. There was still time though for Deasy to win it right at the death.
Dolphin 16-22 Clontarf
For a second week in a row, Clontarf managed to cancel out an early deficit and they have out-half David Joyce to thank for a hard-fought 22-16 victory at Dolphin.
Andy Wood’s charges trailed 13-0 by the 24th minute and had lock Tom Byrne in the sin-bin, with their Musgrave Park hosts taking chance after chance.
From a turnover, Steve Dinan dinked an inviting kick through for onrushing centre Eamon Mills to touch down in the 12th minute and Rory Scannell converted.
The former Ireland Under-20 international – starting at out-half in place of assistant coach Barry Keeshan – added a penalty three minutes later, rewarding some aggressive defence from the fired-up home forwards.
Dolphin continued to dictate matters on the scoreboard as Scannell split the posts again following Byrne’s yellow, but Scannell’s opposite number Joyce came alive approaching half-time.
Clontarf built through the phases – 12 in all – before creating an opening for new centre Michael Brown to score an unconverted 36th minute try.
Suddenly, it was all ‘Tarf as Joyce followed up on a break by his half-back partner Peter du Toit to dot down by the posts. He added the extras for a 13-12 scoreline at the turnaround.
Having watched Scannell miss a place-kick at the other end, Joyce edged Clontarf in front with a thumping 45-metre effort and by the hour mark the Tullamore man had taken his tally to 17 points via a second converted try.
Despite losing replacement Killian O’Keeffe to the sin-bin, Dolphin replied in the 76th minute with a superb Scannell penalty from halfway. The playing numbers were evened up late on but the home side’s push for a last-gasp try went unrewarded with Clontarf forcing a final relieving turnover on their own line.
Ballynahinch 13-8 Old Belvedere
Ballynahinch celebrated their first win of the new league campaign after coming from behind to beat Old Belvedere 13-8 at Ballymacarn Park.
‘Hinch looked to be struggling when they failed to convert a series of early penalties. ‘Belvo’s try on the stroke of half-time was an opportunist effort from Ireland U-20 centre Peter Robb, who scored after gathering a penalty attempt that had come back off the post.
But the County Down outfit turned things around in the second half with winger Ross Adair’s second try of the league run and eight points from the boot of former Dungannon centre Stuart McCloskey.
Young Munster 24-19 UCD
Continuing the trend of second half comebacks, Young Munster staged a remarkable one to overhaul UCD 24-19 at Tom Clifford Park.
Ross Byrne landed two early penalties to get the students off to a satisfying start in Greenfields. The Ireland Under-20 out-half grabbed a third on the quarter hour mark.
The Cookies, who lost at Clontarf last time out, responded in the 25th minute when great approach work from Ed O’Keeffe teed up an unconverted score for winger Barry Gibbons.
UCD were not long in cancelling that out though, moving 14-5 clear after centre Stephen Murphy made it over in the corner.
The absence of sin-binned winger Warren Kelly was exposed by UCD closing in on half-time as a quickly-taken lineout led to replacement Harry McNulty scoring out wide.
That gave Bobby Byrne’s young side a 19-5 lead and Young Munster had it all to do. Bit by bit, they got back in touch, with Willie Staunton landing a drop goal and he drilled a penalty over six minutes into the second period to reduce the gap further.
Young forwards Diarmaid Dee and Luke O’Halloran then made their presence felt as the Cookies took advantage of a UCD yellow card with a well-taken try from centre Dan Goggin. Staunton converted to make it 19-18.
Head coach John Staunton gave youth its fling once more and his decision paid off as teenage replacement David O’Mahony, who came on at out-half, coolly slotted two decisive penalties in the 75th and 80th minutes to complete Munsters’ memorable fight-back.
TODAY’S RESULTS -
BALLYNAHINCH 13 OLD BELVEDERE 8, Ballymacarn Park Scorers: Ballynahinch: Try: Ross Adair; Con: Stuart McCloskey; Pens: Stuart McCloskey 2 Old Belvedere: Try: Peter Robb; Pen: Josh Glynn HT: Ballynahinch 0 Old Belvedere 8
CORK CONSTITUTION 13 LANSDOWNE 16, Temple Hill Scorers: Cork Constitution: Tries: Niall Kenneally, James Murphy; Pen: Gerry Hurley Lansdowne: Try: Ian Fitzpatrick; Con: Scott Deasy; Pens: Scott Deasy 3 HT: Cork Constitution 3 Lansdowne 13
DOLPHIN 16 CLONTARF 22, Musgrave Park Scorers: Dolphin: Try: Eamon Mills; Con: Rory Scannell; Pens: Rory Scannell 3 Clontarf: Tries: Michael Brown, David Joyce 2; Cons: David Joyce 2; Pen: David Joyce HT: Dolphin 13 Clontarf 12
YOUNG MUNSTER 24 UCD 19, Tom Clifford Park Scorers: Young Munster: Tries: Barry Gibbons, Dan Goggin; Con: Willie Staunton; Pens: Willie Staunton, David O’Mahony 2; Drop: Willie Staunton UCD: Tries: Stephen Murphy, Harry McNulty; Pens: Ross Byrne 3 HT: Young Munster 8 UCD 19
ST. MARY’S COLLEGE 14 TERENURE COLLEGE 20, Templeville Road Scorers: St. Mary’s College: Try: Stuart O’Flanagan; Pens: Gavin Dunne 3 Terenure College: Tries: Shane Donovan, Harry Moore; Cons: Mark O’Neill 2; Pens: Mark O’Neill 2 HT: St. Mary’s College 8 Terenure College 3
Lansdowne snatch road win while 'nure take local bragging rights
ULSTER BANK LEAGUE: DIVISION 1A ROUND-UP
St Mary’s 14-20 Terenure
Second half tries from wingers Shane Donovan and Harry Moore made all the difference as Terenure College beat hosts St. Mary’s College 20-14 in today’s ‘Battle of Dublin 6W’ at Templeville Road.
Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt was the guest speaker at the pre-match lunch and his prediction on Irish Rugby TV that Terenure would overturn a 8-3 half-time deficit rang true.
The result continues ‘Nure’s excellent start to life in Division 1A and extends their enviable winning run in the Ulster Bank League to a mammoth 25 matches – their last defeat coming against Corinthians in Division 2A back in February 2013.
St. Mary’s, who lost their league opener at UCD, made the better start to this hotly-anticipated derby. Full-back Gavin Dunne missed an initial penalty, before Dunne and Marcus O’Driscoll were involved in sending winger Stuart O’Flanagan over in the right corner for a 16th minute try.
Dunne then added a penalty from 35 metres out to give the home side a further boost. Terenure were frustrated by turnovers and a Mark O’Neill penalty attempt that hit the woodwork, however the out-half did open their account in injury-time of the first half.
A second successful O’Neill kick, four minutes after the restart, closed the gap further before Dunne seemed to steady the Mary’s ship with a well-struck penalty for 11-6.
Nonetheless, Terenure were beginning to cause serious problems for the Mary’s defence and Cathal Marsh had to react quickly to prevent an almost certain try for ‘Nure full-back James O’Donoghue past the hour mark.
Soon after, an overlap from an attacking scrum saw centre Stephen O’Neill offload for Donovan to cross for his second try in as many games. Mark O’Neill’s conversion put James Blaney’s side ahead for the first time.
Mark O’Neill missed a 72nd minute penalty attempt but the result was effectively put beyond doubt when Moore cut through for a seven-pointer with five minutes left.
With that, the Dr. Mick Smyth Cup and local bragging rights were in Terenure’s grasp, although Mary’s managed to register their second losing bonus point on the bounce thanks to Dunne’s third penalty of the afternoon.
Cork Constitution 13-16 Lansdowne
Scott Deasy held his nerve to convert an 84th minute penalty for Lansdowne and hand his former club Cork Constitution their second defeat on the trot.
Mike Ruddock’s men emerged as 16-13 winners at Temple Hill despite a spirited second half revival from Con, who had tries from centre Niall Kenneally and flanker James Murphy.
Out-half Deasy was again Lansdowne’s orchestrator-in-chief, with his neat chip through putting young winger Ian Fitzpatrick over for a fourth minute try. Deasy’s conversion and two penalties cancelled out a lone three-pointer from Gerry Hurley.
Lansdowne still led 13-3 with 12 minutes left, but Kenneally and Murphy scored in a terrific nine-minute spell for Con to bring them level. There was still time though for Deasy to win it right at the death.
Dolphin 16-22 Clontarf
For a second week in a row, Clontarf managed to cancel out an early deficit and they have out-half David Joyce to thank for a hard-fought 22-16 victory at Dolphin.
Andy Wood’s charges trailed 13-0 by the 24th minute and had lock Tom Byrne in the sin-bin, with their Musgrave Park hosts taking chance after chance.
From a turnover, Steve Dinan dinked an inviting kick through for onrushing centre Eamon Mills to touch down in the 12th minute and Rory Scannell converted.
The former Ireland Under-20 international – starting at out-half in place of assistant coach Barry Keeshan – added a penalty three minutes later, rewarding some aggressive defence from the fired-up home forwards.
Dolphin continued to dictate matters on the scoreboard as Scannell split the posts again following Byrne’s yellow, but Scannell’s opposite number Joyce came alive approaching half-time.
Clontarf built through the phases – 12 in all – before creating an opening for new centre Michael Brown to score an unconverted 36th minute try.
Suddenly, it was all ‘Tarf as Joyce followed up on a break by his half-back partner Peter du Toit to dot down by the posts. He added the extras for a 13-12 scoreline at the turnaround.
Having watched Scannell miss a place-kick at the other end, Joyce edged Clontarf in front with a thumping 45-metre effort and by the hour mark the Tullamore man had taken his tally to 17 points via a second converted try.
Despite losing replacement Killian O’Keeffe to the sin-bin, Dolphin replied in the 76th minute with a superb Scannell penalty from halfway. The playing numbers were evened up late on but the home side’s push for a last-gasp try went unrewarded with Clontarf forcing a final relieving turnover on their own line.
Ballynahinch 13-8 Old Belvedere
Ballynahinch celebrated their first win of the new league campaign after coming from behind to beat Old Belvedere 13-8 at Ballymacarn Park.
‘Hinch looked to be struggling when they failed to convert a series of early penalties. ‘Belvo’s try on the stroke of half-time was an opportunist effort from Ireland U-20 centre Peter Robb, who scored after gathering a penalty attempt that had come back off the post.
But the County Down outfit turned things around in the second half with winger Ross Adair’s second try of the league run and eight points from the boot of former Dungannon centre Stuart McCloskey.
Young Munster 24-19 UCD
Continuing the trend of second half comebacks, Young Munster staged a remarkable one to overhaul UCD 24-19 at Tom Clifford Park.
Ross Byrne landed two early penalties to get the students off to a satisfying start in Greenfields. The Ireland Under-20 out-half grabbed a third on the quarter hour mark.
The Cookies, who lost at Clontarf last time out, responded in the 25th minute when great approach work from Ed O’Keeffe teed up an unconverted score for winger Barry Gibbons.
UCD were not long in cancelling that out though, moving 14-5 clear after centre Stephen Murphy made it over in the corner.
The absence of sin-binned winger Warren Kelly was exposed by UCD closing in on half-time as a quickly-taken lineout led to replacement Harry McNulty scoring out wide.
That gave Bobby Byrne’s young side a 19-5 lead and Young Munster had it all to do. Bit by bit, they got back in touch, with Willie Staunton landing a drop goal and he drilled a penalty over six minutes into the second period to reduce the gap further.
Young forwards Diarmaid Dee and Luke O’Halloran then made their presence felt as the Cookies took advantage of a UCD yellow card with a well-taken try from centre Dan Goggin. Staunton converted to make it 19-18.
Head coach John Staunton gave youth its fling once more and his decision paid off as teenage replacement David O’Mahony, who came on at out-half, coolly slotted two decisive penalties in the 75th and 80th minutes to complete Munsters’ memorable fight-back.
TODAY’S RESULTS -
BALLYNAHINCH 13 OLD BELVEDERE 8, Ballymacarn Park
Scorers: Ballynahinch: Try: Ross Adair; Con: Stuart McCloskey; Pens: Stuart McCloskey 2
Old Belvedere: Try: Peter Robb; Pen: Josh Glynn
HT: Ballynahinch 0 Old Belvedere 8
CORK CONSTITUTION 13 LANSDOWNE 16, Temple Hill
Scorers: Cork Constitution: Tries: Niall Kenneally, James Murphy; Pen: Gerry Hurley
Lansdowne: Try: Ian Fitzpatrick; Con: Scott Deasy; Pens: Scott Deasy 3
HT: Cork Constitution 3 Lansdowne 13
DOLPHIN 16 CLONTARF 22, Musgrave Park
Scorers: Dolphin: Try: Eamon Mills; Con: Rory Scannell; Pens: Rory Scannell 3
Clontarf: Tries: Michael Brown, David Joyce 2; Cons: David Joyce 2; Pen: David Joyce
HT: Dolphin 13 Clontarf 12
YOUNG MUNSTER 24 UCD 19, Tom Clifford Park
Scorers: Young Munster: Tries: Barry Gibbons, Dan Goggin; Con: Willie Staunton; Pens: Willie Staunton, David O’Mahony 2; Drop: Willie Staunton
UCD: Tries: Stephen Murphy, Harry McNulty; Pens: Ross Byrne 3
HT: Young Munster 8 UCD 19
ST. MARY’S COLLEGE 14 TERENURE COLLEGE 20, Templeville Road
Scorers: St. Mary’s College: Try: Stuart O’Flanagan; Pens: Gavin Dunne 3
Terenure College: Tries: Shane Donovan, Harry Moore; Cons: Mark O’Neill 2; Pens: Mark O’Neill 2
HT: St. Mary’s College 8 Terenure College 3
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