It was a busy week for Energia All-Ireland league

By Diarmuid Kearney
<diarmuid.kearney@finalwhistle.ie>
A busy weekend across the Energia All-Ireland League saw statement wins across the board, as the action from the Men’s Divisions now takes a break until the 28th of February.
In 1A, we have new leaders after a high scoring D6W derby in Templeville Road, St Mary’s College defeating Terenure College 28-21, Myles Carey’s brace along tries from Jack Nelson Murray and Conor Pierce helped secure another statement win to see Mary’s jump to top spot going into the break.
Ballynahinch continued their top four hopes with a clinical showing in Ballymacarn Park as they defeated Nenagh Ormond 47-0. Seven different players crossed the line, Kyle Gill, Matthew Booth, Aaron Sexton, Paul Kerr, Pierce Crowe, Ryan Connolly and Reuben Crothers helping Hinch to a big bonus point win.
There was far more drama at Castle Avenue, where Cork Constitution defeated Clontarf in a tense finish in their rematch from last season’s final. Tries from Killian Coghlan, Sean Condon and Sean French, allied to Dylan Hicks’ accuracy from the tee, proved just enough despite a late Clontarf rally sparked by tries from Dylan Donnellan, Jordan Coghlan and Conor Kelly.
Lansdowne and Old Belvedere served up one of the games of the round at the Aviva Stadium back pitch, with Lansdowne eventually prevailing in a try-laden Dublin derby. Bobby Sheehan led the charge with a brace, while Jack Matthews, Barry Fitzpatrick, Cillian Redmond and Stephen Madigan also crossed.
Belvedere responded with tries from Hugh O’Sullivan, Fionn McWey and Chris O’Connor, but were unable to rein in the hosts. Young Munster crossed for 12 tries at Tom Clifford Park, putting them fourth with a 82-21 win over UCD. Ruadhan Quinn was unstoppable with four tries, while Jake O’Riordan and Shay McCarthy also crossed twice, as Shane O’Leary landed 11 out of 12 conversions.
In the Women’s Division, UL Bohemian continued their unbeaten run with a 34-7 win over Galwegians. Leading 12-5 at the break, second half tries from Lucia Linn, Steph Nunan and Grainne Burke secured the points.
Blackrock College made it eleven wins in succession with a 60-0 win away to Tullow. Sarah Farley, Ella Durkan and Trinity Todd all crossed for a brace of tries as the Dubliners ran in ten.
Railway Union continued their winning streak defeating Wicklow 31-0, Aimee Clarke crossed twice in the opening half as Railway held a 26-0 lead by the interval. Old Belvedere defeated Ballincollig 55-7, Amy Larn, Emily Byrne and Eadaoin Murtagh all crossing for a brace of tries. A late Aoibhinn Donnelly try completed her hat-trick and secured Ennis their fourth win of the season, defeating Cooke 31-27 in Shaw’s Bridge.
In Division 1B, Trinity moved up to second place in the table defeating Old Wesley 27-7 at College Park, with Hugh Goddard leading the way with a hat-trick. Highfield and Instonians produced one of the games of the weekend at Woodleigh Park, where a late James Brugger try converted by Shane Buckley secured a 38-35 win to move them fourth in the table.
UCC ground out a valuable away win at Queen’s University, with tries from Mark Hetherington and Sam O’Sullivan complemented by a decisive Harry Murphy penalty. Blackrock College defeated Naas in a back-and-forth encounter, Harry Waters’ late try ensuring the result as Rock moved out of the relegation zone. In Dooradoyle, Garryowen picked up a 48-29 bonus point win over City of Armagh, keeping their play-off hopes alive.
In Division 2A, MU Barnhall made it 13 wins in a row with a 51-31 victory over Dungannon, Shane Mallon with a brace of tries among six different try scorers for the Kildare outfit. Shannon picked up another key result defeating Greystones 30-10 on the Thomond Park back pitch, tries from Darren Gavin, Jordan Prenderville, Callum Black and Jamie Gavin’s kicking secured their eighth win of the season.
Ballymena claimed a narrow but important 22-20 away win at Cashel, Callum Davidson’s late penalty seeing them move to sixth in the table. Old Crescent defeated Banbridge 26-22 at Takumi Park in their relegation clash to put a gap between the sides, while Wanderers completed the round with a narrow win 17-14 over Corinthians, to open up a gap in fourth spot.
Division 2B saw Galwegians secure their 13th win in a row with a 19-14 win over UL Bohemian. Tries from Cian Brady, Conor O’Shaughnessy, Andrew Sherlock built a 19-0 lead at the break, and while UL roared back in the final 20 minutes, they could not turn the tide. Clogher Valley enjoyed a 31-0 win over Enniscorthy at The Cran, while Rainey moved fourth win a 24-19 win over Navan, Jody McMurray crossing for a brace of tries.
Malone defeated Sligo 29-25 at Gibson Park to see Sligo drop out of the top four, while Rourke O’Sullivan crossed twice as Buccaneers defeated Skerries 33-14 in Dubarry Park.
In Division 2C, Clonmel jumped to top spot with a 29-19 win over Thomond, Henry Buttimer’s try on the hour mark and Joey O’Connor’s penalty in the closing exchanges ensured the result.
Monkstown built a first-half platform to see off Ballyclare 21-17 at Sydney Parade, Bective Rangers delivered a big response from being 10-0 down to overcome Dolphin 29-24, despite a late surge from the Cork side. Bruff and Malahide played out a thriller at Kilballyowen Park, Paul Collins’ late penalty securing a 32-31 win.
Midleton moved out of the relegation zone with a 48-5 win over Belfast Harlequins at Towns Park as Alejandro Martinez Jimenez’s hat-trick headlined the result.
Results:
Energia All-Ireland League Division 1A
Ballynahinch 47-0 Nenagh Ormond, Ballymacarn Park
Clontarf 24-27 Cork Constitution, Castle Avenue
Lansdowne 41-34 Old Belvedere, Aviva Stadium Back Pitch
Young Munster 82-21 UCD, Tom Clifford Park
St Mary’s College 28-21 Terenure College, Templeville Road
Energia All-Ireland League Women’s Division
Cooke 27-31 Ennis, Shaw’s Bridge
Ballincollig 7-55 Old Belvedere, Virgin Media Park
Galwegians 7-34 UL Bohemian, Crowley Park
Tullow 0-60 Blackrock College, Rathoe Road
Wicklow 0-31 Railway Union, Ashtown Lane
Energia All-Ireland League Division 1B
Blackrock College 10-15 Naas, Stradbrook
Dublin University 27-7 Old Wesley, College Park
Garryowen 48-29 City Of Armagh, Dooradoyle
Highfield 38-35 Instonians, Woodleigh Park
Queen’s University 10-15 UCC, Dub Lane
Energia All-Ireland League Division 2A
Cashel 20-22 Ballymena, Spafield
MU Barnhall 51-31 Dungannon, Parsonstown
Old Crescent 26-22 Banbridge, Takumi Park
Shannon 30-10 Greystones, Thomond Park Back Pitch
Wanderers 17-14 Galway Corinthians, Merrion Road
Energia All-Ireland League Division 2B
Buccaneers 33-14 Skerries, Dubarry Park
Clogher Valley 31-0 Enniscorthy, The Cran
Galwegians 19-14 UL Bohemian, Crowley Park
Malone 29-25 Sligo, Gibson Park
Rainey 24-19 Navan, Hatrick Park
Energia All-Ireland League Division 2C
Bective Rangers 29-24 Dolphin, Energia Park
Bruff 32-31 Malahide, Kilballyowen Park
Midleton 48-5 Belfast Harlequins
Monkstown 21-17 Ballyclare, Sydney Parade
Thomond 19-29 Clonmel, Liam Fitzgerald Park

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