Murray spurs Young Munster to set up final date with UCC

LEAGUE ROUND-UP:YOUNG MUNSTER will meet UCC in the AIB League Division Two final next Saturday as both clubs won their respective semi-finals this weekend.

Ireland Under-19 scrumhalf Conor Murray produced a brilliant individual display to inspire Young Munster to a 42-22 victory over Belfast Harlequins at Clifford Park.

Murray, who played in recent Under-19 Test matches against Italy and France, offered something of a virtuoso performance, crossing for two tries and adding a further 17 points with the boot through three penalties and four conversions.

The match may have lacked a little intensity but it would detract from Munsters' success. The Limerick side led 32-3 at the interval and although the Belfast side improved after the interval, their recovery was more or less cosmetic to the outcome.

Young Munster's other tries came from a brace by Mark Connolly and the other from Stephen Carey. Harlequins number eight Alastair Heatlie grabbed a couple of tries (he converted one with a drop-kicked conversion) with Gavin McLoughlin adding another. Paul McKenzie kicked a conversion and a penalty.

Munsters will face UCC in an all Munster Division Two final after the Cork students surprised Buccaneers 15-13 at Dubarry Park yesterday.

Bruff's remarkable season continued as they claimed a place in the AIB League Division Three decider next weekend after their 22-9 semi-final victory over Banbridge; it is the second season in succession that the Limerick side have achieved that feat.

Tries in either half from Gary Leonard and Paul O'Brien were the game's pivotal scores. The respective place-kickers, Brian Cahill (Bruff) and Richard Finlay (Banbridge), swapped two penalties apiece as Bruff led 11-6 at half-time.

In the other semi-final, Instonians thrashed QUB 69-17 at Shaw's Bridge and in the process scored 11 tries. Queen's, who only finished two points behind the hosts in the table, never let their heads drop and fullback David McIlwaine, who recently played for the Ireland Under-19s, and winger Michael Barker shared out their tries.

A high scoring game was always likely given that the sides scored 834 points between them during the league's regulation phase. Instonians' cocktail of power and pace simply overwhelmed the students at times, with John Gardiner, Darren Lyttle, David O'Hara and Scott Uren all helping themselves to a brace of tries.

Adam Glass, Gary Mitchell and Josh Devitt also crossed the students' line. It all sets up a fascinating clash between Bruff and Instonians in the final next Saturday at Donnybrook. Only a point separated the sides when they met at Kilballyowen Park in February - Bruff were 6-5 winners.