Unbeaten St Mary’s College continue to set the pace in 1B, while Blackrock and Old Belvedere shook up the top four with wins this weekend, Buccaneers ended a four game losing streak to take a first win this season.
Naas (7T) 41-38 Garryowen (6T), Forenaughts
Naas secured their second win of the campaign after a strong second half turnaround saw them come from 38-10 down to snatch the win.
It was all Garryowen early in the contest, Jack Oliver crossed for the opening try after three minutes before converting Donnacha Byrne’s try for a 12-0 lead after 11 minutes of action. Liam Coombes added a third try before the quarter of an hour mark that went unconverted but Garryowen looked comfortable.
Bryan Fitzgerald added the bonus point before the 17 minute mark and the lead was 24-0 as Oliver converted his third try. Donal Conroy got Naas on the board after 22 minutes it did little to slow the momentum for the hosts as Oran McNulty and Oliver crossed fort ries either side of the half hour mark which Oliver both converted. Charlie Sheridan sniped over in stoppage time to cut the gap to 28 at the break, 38-10.
The second half was all Naas, despite crossing for six opening half tries Garryowen failed to grab a score in the second period. Conroy added a second six minutes into the second half to kickstart the Naas fightback which Sam Cahill converted. Gary Kavanagh was next to snipe over just after the hour mark for the bonus point try, a missed conversion left the score 38-22.
Naas shone in the final minutes, Conroy completed his hat trick and the deficit was down to 11 as another conversion went wide. Jack Sheridan added a try near the embers of normal time and Peter Osborne converted with a deficit of four 38-34 between the teams. 12 minutes into added time the gap eventually opened and Sheridan powered over for his second to seal a monumental comeback, Peter Osborne putting the cherry on top with the conversion.
Old Belvedere (5T) 34-29 UCC (4T), Ollie Campbell Park
Old Belvedere weathered a strong UCC second half comeback to take the points for their third win of the season in Ollie Campbell Park.
With six minutes elapsed Peter O’Beirne was over for the opening try and David Wilkinson converted for a 7-0 lead. That was doubled six minutes later as a strong lineout saw Calum Dowling over and Wilkinson converted for a 14-0 lead. On the half hour mark Wilkinson made it 17-0 with a successful penalty. Kale Thatcher crossed for the third try beside the posts and Wilkinson made it 24-0 at the break.
UCC came out swinging in the second half, Sean Edogbo and David O’Halloran crossing with Daniel Squires converting both as the gap was 24-14. As it looked like the comeback was on, Jayden Beckett crossed after 55 minutes to extend the lead to 15. Killian Coghlan brought the gap to ten crossing for the third UCC try but five minutes later Conall Bird cancelled it out as Belvo had their fifth. 34-19. UCC did take a bonus point from the tie, Luke McAuliffe crossing the whitewash inside the final ten minutes.
Old Wesley (4T) 27-38 Blackrock College (6T), Energia Park
A strong second half showing from Blackrock powered their way to victory against their Dublin neighbours Old Wesley.
Harry Noonan powered over at the back of a driving maul for the opening score of the contest as the hosts drew first blood, the kick went unconverted and ten minutes later Rock hit back through James Fenelly, Oliver Coffey converting for the lead. Within a flash of going behind quick feet from Alex Molloy saw the centre cross for their second try Eoin Monahan converting for a 12-7 lead. The lead lasted mere minutes as Fennelly kicked crossfield for David Heavey to take on the left wing and fast footwork took the winger over for a second try, the game tied as Coffey missed the conversion.
Rock took the lead for the first time after the half hour mark as a penalty was awarded from a scrum on the Wesely 5m line, smart thinking by Odhran Ring as he took a tap go penalty and raced in for the third try, Coffey missed the conversion to leave five between them, that gap was cut by Monahan scoring penalty leaving two between them at the break 17-15.
Blackrock added the bonus point try five minutes into the second half as Gavin Thornbury powered his frame over the Wesley line, a gap starting to develop with Coffey converting for a 24-15 lead. Josh Dixon powered the legs to get over from close range in the 56th minute as Rock put intense pressure on Wesley, Coffey with the extras. Nathan Randles got Wesley on the board in the second half as we ticked into the 65th minute, the conversion drew wide as the lead was 31-20 in Rock’s favour.
With ten minutes left on the clock Andrew Savage went over under the posts and Coffey had the easy task of putting 18 between the teams. Diarmuid Scannell crossed for Wesley at the death, enough for a try scoring bonus, Tom Larke converting.
Queens University (1T) 16-21 Buccaneers (2T), Dub Lane
Buccaneers ended their long wait for an opening win this campaign as they impressed on the road in Dub Lane to overcome queens.
A try from Conor O’Shaughnessy converted by Michael Hanley along with three Hanley penalties gave Buccs a 16-6 lead at the break. James Humphreys landed two penalties for Queens in the opening half.
The second was a much better showing from the hosts, Humphreys converting a James Wright try along with striking his third penalty, the difference in that second half came from Orrin Burgess crossing for a try which in truth served as the overall difference between the two in the end.
St Mary’s College (8T) 55-29 Highfield (4T), Templeville Road
St Mary’s produced a statement win over Highfield to remain unbeaten and eight points clear in the standings.
Mick O’Gara struck an early penalty for the hosts before Darragh Fitzpatrick replied with a converted try by Shane O’Riordan for the lead. Conor Hayes and Steve Kilgallen crossed for tries, the latter unconverted for a 15-7 lead. O’Riordan struck a penalty to cut the gap to five but minutes later Ben Taylor powered his way over for Mary’s and O’Gara slotted the extras.
Ethan Baxter added the bonus point after 24 minutes and with O’Gara accurate as ever the lead was 29-10. Fitzgerald added a second Highfield try minutes later, his second try converted by O’Riordan to help close the gap close to the break. In stoppage time O’Gara crossed for a try and would convert for a 36-17 lead at the break as O’Riordan did add a second penalty to cut the gap to 19.
Into the second half and Conor Dean kept the board ticking in his sides favour crossing for a sixth try early on in the second period, O’Gara converted and by the midway point converted a try from Hayes who notched his second of the contest. 50-17 in favour of the hosts. Myles Carey added their eight and final try as they dominated on the board. Highfield did however add two tries in that half as John O’Callaghan and Rob Murphy crossed for scores, Shane Buckley converting in the second half.
More Info on Division 1B 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.