AIL Roundup: Division 1B Round 13

St Mary’s now have a remarkable 22 point lead in 1B, change did occur in the top four this weekend as Blackrock College and Old Wesley gained ground. While UCC moved ten clear of the relegation places with a strong showing in Belfast. 

Naas (3T) 24-31 Blackrock College (4T), Forenaughts

Blackrock brushed past their fellow Leinster neighbours Naas with a strong second half performance to take a spot once again in the top four.

With six minutes gone Naas grabbed the opening score of the contest as Fionn Higgins raced over and Sam Cahill converted for a 7-0 lead. Blackrock were level by the 14th minute Niall Hardiman getting over and James Fennelly converted. Back came Naas and six minutes later Muiris Cleary was over and Cahill converted for a seven point lead once again.

Shy of the half hour mark the game was level once more. Dave McCarthy was over for the Dubliners, Fennelly adding the extras once again. Naas would lead at the interval, Cahill striking a penalty for a three point lead at the intermission.

It took six minutes of the second half for Blackrock to hit back, Paul McSweeney with their third try and Fennelly was accurate as ever with the conversion, Rock ahead 21-17. On the hour mark Naas swung momentum back in their favour as Jack Sheirdan crossed and Peter Osborne this time converted to put the hosts four ahead.

Blackrock would come good in the final twenty minutes of play, Shane Connolly with a bonus point try in the 72nd minute, Peter “Kicker” Quirke came on to strike the conversion and soon after he struck a penalty to keep Naas at bay for those final minutes. 

Old Belvedere (3T) 27-27 Highfield (3T), Ollie Campbell Park

A late Shane O’Riordan penalty saw the spoils shared at Ollie Campbell Park as Highfield came from 17-7 down at the break to level the tie at the death.

Belvo started much the better of the two teams, tries from Ariel Robles and Joe White converted by Mick O’Kennedy had the hosts 14-0 ahead. O’Kennedy struck a penalty to further that lead, Colin O’Neill to the left of the posts and O’Riordan converted for a 17-7 score line at the break.

Into the second half Highfield would strike first Richard Cassidy crossing the whitewash and O’Riordan converted to cut the gap back to three points. Just after the hour mark after a series of scrum penalties, scrum-half Cassidy would add his second try of the contest, O’Riordan converting for a 21-17 lead. 

Just ten minutes later Fionn McWey crossed from close range as Belvo were held shy of the line, O’Kennedy converting for a 24-21 lead. O’Riordan would slot a penalty to level the tie but down the other end O’Kennedy did the same. Highfield down by three and again O’Riordan was the man to call, dissecting the posts once again to salvage a draw for the Leesiders.

Old Wesley (6T) 42-17 Buccaneers (3T), Energia Park

Wesley are amongst the play-offs as they powered home to overcome Buccaneers in the capital on Saturday afternoon.

Reuben Pim, Sam Burns and Cathal Kelly all crossed for tries converted by Eoin Monahan to build a 21-0 lead. Cian McCann did grab a try for Buccs right at the end of normal time converted by Michael Hanley to keep them in the tie.

Three minutes elapsed in the second half Wesley added their bonus point try, Alex Molloy chasing a kick in behind to dot down and Monahan converted. Six minutes later Fergus Jemphrey added try number five and Monahan converted for a 35-7 lead. That scoring form continued as again minutes later they went over again, Nathan Randles in the right corner and Ian Cassidy converted for a 42-7 lead.

Buccs added two consolation scores, McCann grabbed a second try with Charlie Ward credited with the third. 

Queens University (2T) 10-41 UCC (5T), Dub Lane

UCC got a much needed win as they put on a dominant display to take a bonus point win back to Leeside from Belfast.

Cian Whooley slotted an early penalty after ten minutes of action to give UCC the lead. Louis Bruce soon added a try with a sensational turn of pace and Whooley made it a 10-0 lead. UCC added a second try from their powerful lineout maul as Scott Buckley led the charge from the rear of the move. Whooley converted the try and then slotted a penalty for a 20-0 lead at the interval.

Into the second stanza Ben Gibson raced over for Queens to grab their first score of the contest. That looked to give Queens some momentum as after they pressed well at UCC, Jack Boal went over in the corner. 

UCC were dominant in the final 16 minutes of play at the Dub, Peter Hyland, Sean Condon and a second from Buckley their tries to wrap up the tie, Whooley converting all three for a perfect record from conversions.

St Mary’s College (4T) 28-27 Garryowen (3T), Templeville Road

A late Jack Nelson Murray try converted by Mick O’Gara gave St Mary’s a late comeback win to overcome a stern Garryowen test in the capital.

Mary’s started on the front foot with Mark Fogarty crossing for their opening try, Jack Oliver had kicked Garryowen ahead but that try and penalty from Mick O’Gara which followed made it 8-3 to the hosts.

Des Fitzgerald responded with a try after 28 minutes to level the tie and Oliver made it 10-8 with the conversion. Oliver would extend the lead out to 13-8 as he struck another penalty to draw the half to a conclusion.

Myles Carey struck first blood in the second half for the hosts and the tie was level yet again. While the conversion was missed O’Gara slotted a penalty to put Mary’s back ahead. Just after the hour mark Jeronimo Ureta Saenz Peña crossed for the visitors as the Shannonsiders had the lead yet again as Oliver converted the try for a 20-16 lead.

Jeronimo Ureta Saenz Peña added a second try minutes later, Oliver again converting to further their lead. The concession of a penalty try helped Mary’s back into tie and right at the death Jack Nelson Murray crossed the whitewash and O’Gara nailed the conversion for the win.