AIL Roundup: Division 1A Week 3

Clontarf, Terenure College and Dublin University are all setting the standard in 1A after the first three games, all have a 100% winning record.

Lansdowne 17-27 Dublin University, Aviva Stadium back pitch

A struggling Lansdowne welcomed the highflying students to the Aviva back pitch on Saturday afternoon. 

The hosts went into the half time interval with a 17-13 advantage. Former London Irish and Saracens player Tadhg McElroy getting on the scoresheet. It was announced last week that the hooker signed a short-term contract with Leinster. Returning out-half Peter Hastie kicked ten points from the tee. Despite going in with the lead, they didn’t score again in the contest.

Trinity picked up two impressive victories against both UCD and Garryowen in the previous rounds. They turned on the style again in the second half. Tries from Max Dunne and substitute prop Thomas Clarkson clinched the victory for Tony Smeeth’s team. Their momentum just keeps building more and more.

It’s has been a very disappoint start to the league for Mark McHugh’s side. They’ll need to put in a massive effort in the next block of fixtures,

Ballynahinch 3-28 Clontarf, Ballymacarn Park

Champions Clontarf put a halt to the Ballynahinch hype train for the moment. A commanding second half performance got them a hard-fought victory on the road.

We knew coming into this game it was likely that one of these teams would lose their unbeaten record. The first half was a real tussle, Ballynahinch out-half Greg Hutley putting the only points on the board from a penalty. The Ulstermen led 3-0 going into half time. 

Andy Wood would have been delighted with Tarf’s second half showing. They scored four tries to not only win the game in convincing fashion, but also secure the all-important bonus point. Last season’s AIL 1A, player of the year Cormac Daly scored one of the tries along with winger Cian O’Donoghue and Conor Kearns. A penalty try was given as well.

The north Dubliners are just going about their busy, relatively unchallenged to date. The start of November 2021 was the last time they lost an AIL game, in a remarkable run of form.

Garryowen 25-38 Terenure College, Dooradoyle

Terenure continued to steam ahead, adding six more tries to an already mounting  tally. They’ve scored twenty tries in three games, sitting top of the table with a very healthy +84 points difference.

Matthew Bowen, Harrison Brewer, Craig Adams, Colm de Buitléar, Adam La Grue all touched the ball down, (including a penalty try) to help them get their third win on the bounce. If you’re ever at a loose end and want to watch some exciting rugby, get yourself down to Lakelands Park.

In fairness to the hosts, they gave a much better account of themselves in this game than the one they against Trinity a couple of weeks ago. Johnny Keane, Cian Hurley and JJ O’Neill scoring the tries for them.

Sean Skehan will be delighted, his team have taken all of the fifteen points available.

University College Dublin 10-23 Young Munster, UCD Bowl

The Cookies became the first Munster team to beat a Dublin club this season. They came away with four points from their trip to the Belfield Bowl.

UCD went into the interval leading 10-3, thanks to a penalty try. Conor Hayes converting the only points of the half for the visitors.

The Limerick club came out firing in the second half. Hooker Chris Moore and backrow Alan Kennedy scoring to spring them into the driving seat.

That was their second win in seven days. They sit in the top half of the standings. 

Shannon 21-36 Cork Constitution, Thomond Park back pitch

Cork Con bounced back from last week’s tough defeat to Terenure with a good win over old provincial rivals Shannon.

Shannon looked like they might have been on their way to their first win back in 1A, with an eight-point advantage after the opening forty minutes. Munster academy scrum half Ethan Coughlan scoring a brace.

However, Con came back into it in the second half. Centre Greg Higgins was one of the scorers, adding to the one he got last week. Con made it two wins from three. 

Start a Conversation

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *