Underlining that there really are no dead rubbers in the Energia All-Ireland League Division 1A, the two sides with seemingly the least to play for, namely UCD and Young Munster, each registered wins on Saturday which could have significant repercussions for others.
UCD inflicted leaders Clontarf with just their third defeat of the season thanks to a 38-32 win at the Belfield Bowl, while ‘the Cookies’ seriously damaged Trinity’s hopes of staying in the top flight with a 26-10 win.
Helped by Ruairí Shields’s hat-trick, UCD blitzed Clontarf to leady 24-5 at the break, before last season’s beaten finalists responded with five more tries after the break. Tarf’s two bonus points keeps them two clear of Terenure, who they meet next week at Lakelands Park in a repeat of the last two finals, after the champions recorded a ninth win in a row to end Cork Constitution’s run of six wins.
Terenure thus moved a point above Con thanks to their 26-23 bonus-point win at Temple Hill. What made this statement win even more impressive was that Terenure fell 14-0 behind with a stiff wind in their backs after Con went the length of the pitch from an overthrow for Matthew Bowen to score his seventh try in three games and add to an early effort by Jack Kelleher.
But brought to life by Alan Bennie’s well-worked first try off a quick lineout, Terenure had further tries by winger Craig Adams and hooker Levi Vaughan, whose break from deep set up a barrage of close-range penalties. This culminated in scrumhalf Bennie scoring their fourth try inside the last 10 minutes to put them ahead for the first time.
Ballynahinch, fifth on 49 points, kept alive their semi-final aspirations thanks to their hard-earned 10-5 win at home to fourth-placed Lansdowne, who are on 53 points, with two games remaining.
City of Armagh, in their first season in 1A, ended a run of three defeats with a potentially vital 36-26 win over Shannon. Each side picked up an offensive bonus point to move the Armagh club four clear of their Limerick rivals, who now occupy the relegation playoff place, six points clear of Trinity.
In 1B, Blackrock maintained their hopes of a third successive promotion with an important 21-17 win over Old Belvedere at Stradbrook. In-form Garryowen, 55-26 winners over Queen’s, and Highfield, 24-7 winners away to Buccaneers, thus moved above Belvo into the playoff places.
Buccs are all but relegated and will almost certainly be replaced by Nenagh Ormond, despite their surprise 15-11 defeat away to Navan, as Barnhall remained 10 points behind after their loss at home to Banbridge.
Similarly, 2B leaders Instonians are on the cusp of a second successive promotion after returning to winning ways with a 48-14 victory at home to Rainey. Wanderers were beaten at home by Sligo so Corinthians moved into second place with a 24-22 win in Malahide before hosting Instonians next Saturday in Galway.
At the other end of 2B, Belfast Harlequins’ 17-all draw at home to Dungannon moved them above Dolphin on points difference after the latter’s 24-22 defeat at home to Skerries. Clogher Valley’s lead in 2C has been trimmed to five points after their 21-19 loss at home to Midleton and Galwegians’ 46-13 win at home to Clonmel.
Results
Division 1A: Ballynahinch 10 Lansdowne 5; City of Armagh 36 Shannon 26; Cork Constitution 23 Terenure 26; UCD 38 Clontarf 32; Young Munster 26 Dublin University 10.
Division 1B: Blackrock College 21 Old Belvedere 17; Buccaneers 7 Highfield 24; Garryowen 55 Queens 26; Naas 20 Old Wesley 39; UCC 26 St. Mary’s College 31.
Division 2A: Cashel 23 Greystones 10; MU Barnhall 27 Banbridge 28; Navan 15 Nenagh Ormond 11; Old Crescent 22 Ballymena 29; UL Bohemian 15 Malone 17.
Division 2B: Belfast Harlequins 17 Dungannon 17; Dolphin 21 Skerries 23; Instonians 48 Rainey 14; Malahide 22 Galway Corinthians 24; Wanderers 19 Sligo 26.
Division 2C: Ballina 35 Enniscorthy 31; Bangor 21 Bruff 6; Clogher Valley 19 Midleton 21; Galwegians 46 Clonmel 13; Omagh Academicals 30 Tullamore 17.
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