Three Limerick wins on a dramatic opening day of All-Ireland League rugby action

THERE were wins for Garryowen and Young Munster in Division 1A and UL-Bohemian in 2B as three Limerick clubs recorded victories on the opening day of the new energia All-Ireland League season on Saturday.

Garryowen marked their return to Division 1A with a thrilling 29-27 bonus point victory over Lansdowne at Dooradoyle.

Also in 1A, Young Munster secured an exciting 24-22 victory away to UCD at Belfield.

In Division 1B, Shannon, who were relegated from the top division at the end of last season, had to make-do with taking a losing bonus point from their 13-19 defeat to Queen's University, Belfast at Dub Lane.

Old Crescent secured two bonus points in their high-scoring 38-34 defeat to Cashel in Division 2A at Takumi Park.

In Division 2B, free-scoring UL-Bohemian, who were relegated from 2A at the end of last season, opened their new AIL campaign with an exciting 34-25 bonus point victory over Sligo at UL's North Campus. The same two sides had faced off in the last two Division 2A promotion/relegation play-offs semi-finals.

Meanwhile, in Division 2C, Bruff claimed a losing bonus point in a 20-15 defeat at home to Dolphin at Kilballyowen Park.

Garryowen had won their last five games of the 2023/24 campaign, including two high-pressure play-offs, to bounce straight back up to the top flight.

Their line-up included centre Bryan Fitzgerald who has been in with Munster on a short-term contract, with fellow co-captain Donnacha Byrne stationed at number 8. Connacht’s Shane Jennings and Dutch hooker Lars Linnenbank were also part of the home side's starting line-up.

Garryowen led their visitors 17-10 at half-time. The Limerick side had tries from Ronan Quinn, following an intercept and one from Colm Hogan, while out-half Kelvin Langan added a penalty goal and two successful conversions.

A George Hadden try, converted by Langan moved Garryowen further ahead at 24-10, before Lansdowne were awarded a penalty try to close the gap. 

The Dubliners racked up 17 unanswered points in all to lead 27-24. However, Garryowen hit back to claim the opening day win thanks to a Gordon Wood try in stoppage time.

Meanwhile, Young Munster scored three tries in their tenacious two-point victory over UCD at Belfield.

The result means Young Munster have won on three of their last four visits to Belfield after winning 18-12 and 23-10 in 2021 and 2022 respectively, and falling to a two-point defeat last November. 

Munster’s Patrick Campbell anchored the Cookies’ back-three, with Sligo native Hubert Gilvarry on the right wing. Youngster Julian Leszczynski donned the number 10 jersey, and there was a New Zealand-Argentina blend to the club’s new centre pairing of Samson Seinafo and Manuel Covella.

Young Munster had trailed 14-15 at half-time, with the Limerick side's points coming courtesy of two tries from Shay McCarthy, the second one created by a celever kick through from Shane O'Leary, while out-half Leszczynski converted both.

After the students had hit the front at 15-14, Munsters' responded resolutely for Stephen McLoughlin to score their third try of the game, with Leszczynski again converting for 21-15.

The see-saw nature of the scoring continued when UCD struck back with a try to lead 22-21. However, Leszczynski struck for what proved to be the match-winning penalty for the Clifford Park side with five minutes remaining on the clock.

Ireland Under-20 internationals Emmet Calvey and Luke Murphy bookend Shannon’s starting pack for their long-trip to Belfast.

Centre Harry Long, who played for the Munster Development XV last season, skippered the Limerick men from inside centre, and 22-year-old Munster-capped prop Kieran Ryan also featured.

Shannon trailed their hosts 5-14 at half-time, with the Parish side's opening half points coming courtesy of a try from Adam Moloney.

A third try for Queen's in the 53rd minute saw the visitors ease clear at 19-5. However, to their credit Shannon battled back with Luke Murphy crossing for their second try just after the hour mark, while Cillian O'Connor slotted a 70th minute penalty goal which ultimately secured the losing bonus point. 

In Division 2A, Old Crescent trailed 13-17 at home to Cashel at half-time at Takumi Park.

The Limerick side had an intercept try from Timmy Duggan which Ronan McKenna converted on his 100th All-Ireland League appearance for Crescent.

Out-half McKenna also slotted two first half penalties. 

Cashel led 24-13 when Crescent hit back with a Werner Hoffman try, converted by McKenna. The Tipperary side jumped into a 38-20 lead on 73 minutes, before the home side hit back with two tries from Casey Tanyi and Yasin Browne, both converted by McKenna to secure two bonus points.

In 2B, UL-Bohemian led visitors Sligo 24-10 at UL. The red Red Robins scored three first half tries, while out-half Oisin Fagan added a penalty and three conversions.

The home side added a fourth try through Marty Sheehan, while Fagan added a conversion and penalty to sea a deserved success.

The concession of three tries saw Bruff fall 3-17 in arrears against Dolphin at Kilballyowen Park. The Bruff points came from a Paul Collins penalty. The South Limerick side trailed 0-10 at half-time.

The home side then rallied with Shane Duggan touching down before the Cork visitors tagged on a penalty for 20-8.

Bruff did secure a precious losing bonus point after being awarded a penalty try to reduce the margin between the sides at full-time to five.

Energia All-Ireland League:

Saturday, September 21 –

DIVISION 1A:

GARRYOWEN 29 LANSDOWNE 27, Dooradoyle
Scorers: Garryowen: Tries: Ronan Quinn, Colm Hogan, George Hadden, Gordon Wood; Cons: Kelvin Langan 2, Dylan Hicks; Pen: Kelvin Langan
Lansdowne: Tries: Andy Marks, Jack Cooke, Penalty try; Cons: Stephen Madigan 2, Pen try con; Pens: Stephen Madigan 2
HT: Garryowen 17 Lansdowne 10

GARRYOWEN: Colm Hogan; Shane Jennings, Bryan Fitzgerald (co-capt), Gordon Wood, Ronan Quinn; Kelvin Langan, Neil Cronin; George Hadden, Lars Linnenbank, Oisin Kearney, Visiano Vaohea, Kevin Seymour, Des Fitzgerald, Oisin McCormack, Donnacha Byrne (co-capt).

Replacements: Dara Phelan, Mikey Veale, Oisin Cooke, Richie Costello, Dylan Hicks, Jack Delaney.

LANSDOWNE: Hugo McLaughlin; Cillian Redmond, Andy Marks, Rory Parata, Sean Galvin; Stephen Madigan, James Kenny; Jerry Cahir, Jack Treanor, Greg McGrath, Ruairi Clarke, Juan Beukes, Jack Cooke (capt), Liam Molony, Hardus van Eeden.

Replacements: Chris Poole, Temi Lasisi, Clive Ross, Tadhg Brophy, Steve McMahon, Rob Hedderman.

UCD 22 YOUNG MUNSTER 24, UCD Bowl
Scorers: UCD: Tries: Andrew Osborne, Michael Moloney, Ruairi Shields; Cons: Michael Moloney, James Tarrant; Pen: Michael Moloney
Young Munster: Tries: Shay McCarthy 2, Stephen McLoughlin; Cons: Julian Leszczynski 3; Pen: Julian Leszczynski
HT: UCD 15 Young Munster 14

UCD: Ruben Moloney; Andrew Osborne, Ben Brownlee, James Tarrant (capt), Ruairi Shields; Michael Moloney, Rob Gilsenan; Tom O’Riordan, Bobby Sheehan, Rory McGuire, Michael Colreavy, Matt Healy, Dan Barron, Mark Hernan, Rory Byrne.

Replacements: Chris Hennessy, Hugo O’Malley, Andrew Sparrow, Conor Tonge, Evan Moynihan, Tim Corkery.

YOUNG MUNSTER: Patrick Campbell; Hubert Gilvarry, Samson Seinafo, Manuel Covella, Shay McCarthy; Julian Leszczynski, Marcus Lyons; David Begley, Stephen McLoughlin, Paul Allen, Sean Rigney, Alan Kennedy (capt), James Horrigan, Bailey Faloon, Ronan Murphy.

Replacements: Aaron Roulston, Peter Meyer, Oran O’Reilly, Jack Shaw, Oisin Pepper, Shane O’Leary.

DIVISION 1B:

QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY 19 SHANNON 13, Dub Lane
Scorers: Queen’s University: Tries: Ryan Street 2, Ben McFarlane; Cons: Jack Murphy 2
Shannon: Tries: Adam Moloney, Luke Murphy; Pen: Cillian O’Connor
HT: Queen’s University 14 Shannon 5

QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY: Rory Telfer; Ethan Patterson, Ryan Street, Callum Florence, Ben McFarlane; Jack Murphy, Harvey Patterson; Tyrese Abolarin, Zac Solomon, Jack Boal, Charlie Irvine (capt), James McKillop, Paddy McAlpine, Will Cusack, Tom Brigg.

Replacements: Joshua Stewart, Martin Meenan, Dylan McCauley, Oliver Hughes, Dan Green, Fraser Graham.

SHANNON: Sean Nolan; Jack O’Donnell, Cian O’Halloran, Harry Long (capt), Sam Brown; Jamie Gavin, Ian Leonard; Emmet Calvey, Adam Moloney, Kieran Ryan, Jack Brady, Lee Nicholas, Luke Moylan, Scott Gleeson, Luke Murphy.

Replacements: Shane Carew, Tony Cusack, Conor Glynn, Christian Storey, Evin Crowe, Cillian O’Connor.

DIVISION 2A:

OLD CRESCENT 34 CASHEL 38,Takumi Park

Scorers: Old Crescent: Tries: Timmy Duggan, Werner Hoffman, Casey Tanyi, Yasin Browne; Cons: Ronan McKenna 4; Pens: Ronan McKenna 2
Cashel: Tries: Alan Flannery 2, Jamie Ryan, Marcel Strydom, Penalty try; Cons: Tim Townsend 2, Ben Twomey 2, Pen try con; Pen: Ben Twomey
HT: Old Crescent 13 Cashel 17

OLD CRESCENT: Glen Kelly; Timmy Duggan, Cathal Monaghan, Werner Hoffman, Daithi Byrnes; Ronan McKenna, Jamie Duggan; Joe Rickard, Darragh O’Brien, Evan Creaven, Paudie Monaghan, Yasin Browne, Karl Madden (capt), Jack O’Neill, Kevin Doyle. Replacements: Eoghan Quinn, Casey Tanyi, Sean Monaghan, John Lyons, Larry Hanley.

CASHEL: Ryan O’Sullivan; Padraig Leamy, Alan Flannery, Jamie Ryan, Tom Tobin; Tim Townsend, Marcel Strydom; Cormac O’Donnell, David Upton, Brendan Ryan, Brendan Crosse, Diarmuid Rowe, Alex Harold Barry, Richard Moran, Mickey Wilson. Replacements:Joseph Callery, Sean O’Connell, Ed Kelly, Josh Pickering, Ben Twomey.

DIVISION 2B:

UL BOHEMIAN 34 SLIGO 25, UL 4G pitch

Scorers: UL Bohemian: Tries: Matt Sheahan, Kean Sheehy, Darren Ferrar, Sean Quirke; Cons: Matt Sheahan, Oisin Fagan 3; Pens: Oisin Fagan 2
Sligo: Tries: Luke Hogge, Brendan Cunningham, Kuba Wojtkowicz 2, Matthew Earley
HT: UL Bohemian 24 Sligo 10

UL BOHEMIAN: Seamus Lyne; Matt Sheahan, Killian Dineen, Paul Clancy, Joe Johnson; Oisin Fagan, Luca Cleary; Kean Sheehy, Darren Ferrar, Kian Regan, Padraic Galvin, Michael Dorgan, Sean Quirke, Lochlann Kelleher, Liam Neilan (capt). Replacements: Matt Henry, Jack Ryan, Josh Kahler, Alan Kiely, Myles Lawler.

SLIGO: Stewart Cruden; Luke Hogge, Will Whelan, Earl Norris, Otenili Tuipulotu; Euan Brown, Brendan Cunningham; Kuba Wojtkowicz, Matthew Earley (capt), Conán O’Donnell, Ciaran Cummins, Archie MacLean, Ambrose Bamber, Will MacAuley, Fintan Crawley. Replacements:Benjamin Hynes, Aidan Healy, Eoin Ryan, Gary Duffy, Conor Creavan.

DIVISION 2C:

BRUFF 15 DOLPHIN 20, Kilballyowen Park
Scorers: Bruff: Tries: Shane Duggan, Penalty try; Con: Pen try con; Pen: Paul Collins
Dolphin: Tries: Jordan Soli 2, Craig O’Connell; Con: Jordan Soli; Pen: Jordan Soli
HT: Bruff 0 Dolphin 10

BRUFF: Paul Collins; Shane Duggan, Ethan Anderson, Andrew O’Byrne, Craig Carew; John Bateman, Cathal Garvey; Darragh O’Brien, Mike Frawley, Kieran O’Dwyer, Brendan Gleeson, Tom O’Dwyer, Mark Kennedy, John Sheehan, Tom Lillis. Replacements: Sean O’Riordan, Fionn Flanagan, Brendan Keogh, Iago Dasi Somoza, Adam O’Dwyer, Andrew Purcell.

DOLPHIN RFC: Jordan Soli, Karl Waterman, Sam Boyle, Craig O’Connell, Darragh Buckley, Cameron O’Shaughnessy, Ryan Foley, Jack Fox, Billy Kingston, Tom Sheehan, Darragh O’Sullivan, David O’Mahony, Eoin Sheehan, Matt Barry, Dalton O’Shaughnessy. Replacements: Finn Cowhig, Johnny Leahy, Vaughan, Alex Heaslip, Mark Sexton.