ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE:CORK CONSTITUTION remain firmly on track to retain their Ulster Bank All-Ireland League title following a 22-0 success over St Mary's College at Templeville Road on Saturday.
Not only did the victory put Cork Con back on top of the Division 1A table, it also assured them of a home semi-final. On this form, they are going to be very hard to stop.
St Mary’s matched their rivals for most of the first half, only trailing 3-0 to a Gerry Hurley penalty until three minutes before the interval. But once Constitution secured the opening try through centre Cyprien Jouve, there was only going to be one winner.
Hurley’s conversion from near the touchline made it 10-0 at the interval. Left wing Simon Zebo crossed for two more well-taken tries, gathering his own kick ahead for the first of them. Hurley converted and Zebo then collected a chip from outhalf Scott Deasy to go over for the visitors’ third try.
Young Munster just failed to move into third spot at Musgrave Park yesterday when outhalf Alan Kingsley saw an injury-time penalty come back off the post. Dolphin’s 13-12 victory means they will almost certainly avoid relegation. They scored the only try through centre Eric Moloney towards the end of the first half.
The Cork outfit led 10-9 at the interval. The remainder of their points came from Barry Keeshan, with a conversion and two penalties, while Kingsley hit four penalties for Young Munster.
Old Belvedere remain in position to secure the second home semi-final spot despite going down 13-3 to struggling Garryowen at Dooradoyle.
Garryowen were well worth the victory which moves them off the bottom of the table.
The Limerick side gradually gained control after falling behind to a Conal Keane penalty. Declan Cusack was the hero, scoring a superb individual try, converting it, and landing two penalties.
The win moves Garryowen ahead of Shannon on points difference and gives them a chance of avoiding a relegation play-off match.
Shannon will meet Dolphin at home in their last game. They have put real pressure on themselves by losing 25-21 to the improving Blackrock College outfit at Stradbrook.
Blackrock led 22-6 at the interval with Mick Noone (2) and Johnny Burretto crossing for tries. Shannon did rally in the second period, Luke O’Dea and Duncan Casey scoring tries, and Mossie Lawlor contributing a penalty and a conversion, but had to settle for a losing bonus point.
Clontarf will take their place in the semi-finals as the winners of Division 1B, in spite of going down to a surprise 20-15 home defeat to UL Bohemians.
Lansdowne have moved into second place in the table with a useful 26-17 away success over lowly Bruff. Shane Gahon and John Cooney grabbed two tries each with the remainder of the points coming from the boot of Eoghan Hickey.
They are now ahead of Buccaneers on points difference. Buccaneers’ dismal losing run continued when they went down 17-14 at home to Dungannon.
It was made all the more disappointing as Buccaneers had led 14-5 at the interval with tries from John O’Brien and Stephen Burke.
The other Connacht side, Galwegians, in contrast, have managed to continue their late winning run to move off the bottom of the table by beating UCC 21-10 at the Mardyke. So Bruff now find themselves propping up the table.
