Shannon moved top of 1A with a statement result in their all Limerick meeting with Young Munster, Lansdowne are the other side unbeaten that have claimed a maximum haul thus far.
UCD (4T) 35-8 (1T) Dublin University, Belfield
UCD took the bragging rights in the battle of the University’s as Emmet MacMahon picked up his first win as the new boss of UCD.
The hosts started the better and with a brace of tries from Ross Deegan and Michael Moloney with a penalty and two conversions, they were ahead 18-3 at the interval. Harry Colbert getting Trinity on the board from the tee.
Deegan sniped after 30 seconds and from there the visitors were very much up against it. The second half rumbled on with neither side taking an early score, Wilhelm de Klerk saw a slice of cheese and went to the bin, despite the mathematical disadvantage, UCD went 21-3 ahead from another Moloney penalty.
Trinity failed to push on with the extra man and soon after lost Oscar Cawley to the bin for what was deemed a deliberate knock on. Michael Colreavy powered his way over after UCD made use of the infringement with a strong lineout and with their third try the conversion put 25 between the rivals.
With three minutes left Trinity managed to grab a consolation try, Jules Fenelon breaking a tackle in the midfield, the ball was Hugh O’Kennedy and his pass was gathered by Taylor Gleeson to touch down.
UCD were still pushing for the bonus point and at the death Chris Cosgrave crossed for the fourth and final try, Moloney kicking the extra two and very much a statement result by UCD.
Ballynahinch (4T) 31-28 (4T) Cork Constitution, Ballymacarn Park
After their disappointment in the opening round to Terenure, Ballynahinch had a point to prove in their second round fixture with Con and certainly answered that question.
Inside two minutes they had the lead, Shay Storey crossing for the games opening try and Conor Rankin landed the extras. From here it was very much a cagey opening half, an amuse-bouche in comparison to the second half.
With a minute gone in the second half, Con were level with Daniel Hurley crossing before James Taylor slotted the extras. Hinch were quick to respond to the try with Ethan Graham and John Dickson both crossing and Rankin remained accurate to put the hosts 21-7 clear.
Either side of the clock ticking into the hour mark Con were back level, Matthew Bowen and Danny Sheahan crossing the whitewash and Taylor three from three with conversion attempts tied things up.
Rankin slotted a penalty to restore the lead for Hinch but inside the final ten minutes Con were ahead, John Forde adding the bonus point for the Cork side, Taylor made it a four point game.
Con were 21-7 down and rallied to lead by four with mere minutes left, it looked like for the second week in a row Hinch would finish second best, that was until Claytan Milligan powered over for the bonus point try. Rankin slotted the conversion the lead three and that was that.
City of Armagh (4T) 26-29 (4T) Lansdowne, Palace Grounds
Lansdowne produced a second half comeback to remain unbeaten in 1A but did fall to second due to score difference.
Stephen Madigan put the visitors ahead from the tee early on but Armagh were quick to grab a try as Cameron Doak crossed and the effort went unconverted. Jack Cooke went over shy of the posts to put Lansdowne back in the lead as Madigan added the extras.
Tries from Jonny Morton and Neil Faloon put the hosts 19-10 ahead at the break, Brayden Laing had landed the earlier conversion but skewed one wide from those two tries, leaving nine between the teams at the break.
Lansdowne started the second half better and after James Kenny crossed in the corner to reduce the gap to 19-15, Armagh would end the momentum however when Tim McNiece added the bonus point try, Laing putting the hosts ahead 26-15.
That momentum shifted back the way of the Dubliners for the latter stages of the half, Cooke scored his second try of the contest and following Madigan splitting the posts they were behind by four, Andy Marks would soon cross the whitewash, adding not only the bonus point try, but the score to give Lansdowne a monstrous comeback win.
Clontarf (2T) 26-16 Terenure College (1T), Castle Avenue
In a rematch of their one sided 1A final earlier this year, Clontarf came out as winners in the rematch, an impressive opening half performance laying the foundation for the win.
Terenure registered the games opening score as Aran Egan struck a penalty between the uprights. Tarf were quick to reply as the prolific Dylan Donnellan got their opening try, Conor Kelly added the extras before a long range penalty put seven between the sides.
Kelly put ten between them from another penalty before Caolan Dooley cancelled the score out with a penalty of his own. On the stroke of half time Ru Byron found Ben Murphy in space and he raced on under the posts, Kelly tapping over the two extra points on offer to leave the score 20-6 at the break.
Dooley put Terenure on the board to start the second half with his second penalty, two Conor Kelly penalties was the reply from Tarf as they were starting to look comfortable. Terenure were awarded a penalty try towards the latter stages of the half but were unable to take a losing bonus point from the tie.
Young Munster (1T) 7-35 Shannon (5T), Tom Clifford Park
In the battle of the Limerick heavyweight’s Shannon took the bragging rights with a dominant display over Young Munster.
Ger Slattery’s Cookie’s took their second defeat of the season, despite taking the lead early on they failed to register another score. Shannon had a man sent to the bin and from a strong maul, Young Munster went over Donnchadh O’Callaghan with the score, Cian Casey with the extras.
Stephen Kiely helped Shannon level matters soon after with Mike Cooke putting the full seven on the board. Cooke was on hand to put the visitors ahead 25 minutes into the contest, a breakaway try coming from a turnover off a scrum, kicking the conversion himself for a 14-7 lead.
Right at the death in the opening half Jade Kreil drove over for the third Shannon try as the pressure was applied on the Cookies line they could not hold out, Cooke converting for a 21-7 lead at the break.
Six minutes into the second half, Dan Hurley gathered a clearance kick and raced forward, offloading to Aran Hehir for the bonus point under the posts. Cooke made it 28-7 to Shannon.
It continued to remain one way traffic, shy of the hour mark Hehir made a great break to offload for Cian O’Halloran to continue the move and cross for try number five. Cooke converted the final score of a big statement win for Shannon.
More Info on Division 1A here.
Diarmuid Kearney
Diarmuid Kearney is a freelance Sports Journalist based in Co Kerry. He has more than 5 years experience covering domestic and international soccer for different media organisations, while also working for local and national print and digital organisations covering GAA.