RUGBY ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE:OLD BELVEDERE are top of the All-Ireland League Division One A table following a first success over Shannon – 38-16 – at Anglesea Road on Saturday.
They made a nonsense of the difficult wet conditions to score six tries. Fullback Danny Riordan and number eight Leo Auva’a got two apiece, with the others coming from wings David Mongan and Eddie Devitt.
Shannon stayed in touch until the final 10 minutes but ultimately they couldn’t cope with Old Belvedere’s superior pace and skill.
Yet again, the Old Belvedere backrow of Richie Leyden, Jason Rison and Auva’a was hugely impressive, while the Ireland under-20 prop Stewart Maguire continues to look a real prospect. With Fergus McFadden and Eoin O’Malley unavailable, Belvo were able to bring Leinster’s Shaun Berne into midfield and he confirmed he is over his injury problems with a superb display. Simon Keogh and Andy Dunne ran the show from halfback.
Shannon started well with their number eight David Quinlan scoring an early try which was converted by outhalf Tadhg Bennett.
But Old Belvedere hit back with a try from the powerful Auva’a. This was followed by two superb moves which ended with the wings Devitt and Mongan crossing for further tries. Dunne missed the conversions but he did kick a penalty to leave Old Belvedere 18-7 clear at half-time.
Shannon raised their game at the start of the second half and hit back through two Bennett penalties before Auva’a secured his second try to make it 23-13. Even so, Shannon must have thought they were still in with a chance when a further Bennett penalty reduced the deficit to 23-16 and Leyden was yellow-carded. But Old Belvedere raised their game, Riordan crossing for two more well-taken tries. Substitute Conal Keane landed one conversion and kicked a penalty.
Dolphin produced their best performance of the season to upset champions Cork Constitution 19-9 at Temple Hill and avenge last season’s semi-final defeat. Richie Lane landed an early penalty to give Cork Con a 3-0 advantage. But Dolphin led 9-6 at the interval through two penalties and a drop goal from outhalf Barry Keeshan.
The latter added a further penalty in the second half while Eric Moloney got over for a try. Lane added two more penalties for Con.
Last season’s runners-up St Mary’s College’s 29-6 home victory over Garryowen was their third win in a row and moves them up into the top three.
Two tries from Darren Hudson and Mark Sexton, and the accurate goalkicking of Gavin Dunne, meant they had matters under control before half-time. Dunne landed five penalties and two conversions to finish with 19 points.
Elsewhere, Blackrock College made sure it was a miserable day for the Limerick clubs by edging out Young Munster 15-14 at Clifford Park. Leinster’s Ian Madigan kicked five penalties.
Clontarf moved back to the top of Division One B with a 27-8 bonus point win over UCC at Castle Avenue yesterday. Eoin Cremin, Barry O’Mahony, Michael Keating and Eoghan Browne crossed for tries with the remainder of the points coming from the boot of Noel Reid.
Buccaneers trounced UL Bohemians 26-3 at Annacotty with tries from Martin Reddan and Brian Tuohy, while Adam Kennedy was in excellent form with the boot.
Dungannon also continue to go well following a 21-18 home win over Lansdowne. Paddy Jackson landed their match-winning injury -time drop goal. The Ulster side scored the game’s only two tries through Paul Magee and Mark Farquahar. All of Lansdowne’s points were kicked by Eoghan Hickey.
Bruff won again, defeating Galwegians 22-11 at Crowley Park. Brian Cahill landed five penalties and converted Cathal O’Regan’s try.
