Two Limerick wins on dramatic day of All-Ireland League action

JUST two Limerick clubs recorded wins in round three of the energia All-Ireland League on a wet Saturday afternoon of action.

In Division 1A, Young Munster saw their winning start to the campaign ended when the Clifford Park side suffered a disappointing 5-25 defeat to champions Cork Constitution at a rain-soaked Temple Hill. The result has seen Munsters' drop to fifth place in the table.

Also in 1A, Garryowen had to make-do with taking a losing bonus point from their 6-13 home defeat to City of Armagh at rain-soaked Dooradoyle on Saturday. Garryowen, who have lost two of their first three AIL fixtures, are sitting in eighth spot in the league table.

In Division 1B, Shannon slipped to sixth place in the table, following a 18-23 defeat to Naas on the back pitch at Thomond Park.

Meanwhile, Old Crescent sit fifth in the Division 2A table after securing a nail-biting 13-12 victory over Banbridge at Takumi Park.

The second Limerick side to record a victory on Saturday was UL-Bohemian, who claimed a hard fought 17-15 victory over Rainey RFC at ULs North campus in Division 2B to move up to third place in the table.

In Division 2C, Bruff picked up a losing bonus point in their 5-7 reverse at the hands of Belfast Harlequins at Kilballyowen Park. Bruff remain in eighth place in the table as a result.

For Young Munster's trip to Temple Hill, with Alan Kennedy ruled out, hooker Stephen McLoughlin took over the captaincy, and head coach Ger Slattery brought in Tom Goggin at lock and Donnchadh O’Callaghan at scrum half. Former Ireland Under-19 international Ihechi Oji was added to the bench.

Munsters' left themselves with a mountain to climb in the second half of their lunchtime kick-off after falling 0-20 in arrears to wind-assisted Con at half-time at a wet Temple Hill.

The home side managed two first half tries and added a third in the second period to move 25-0 in front.

Munsters', who host Ballynahinch next on Saturday, October 19, did score the final points of the game through a try from Eoin McCormack.

For the visit of City of Armagh to Doodaoyle also in 1A, Garryowen's line-up saw Alex Wood join younger brother Tom in the starting XV for the third round clash. The eldest of the three Wood brothers started on the right wing, with Colm Hogan reverting to full-back, in place of the injured Jamie Heuston.

George Hadden’s Emerging Ireland call-up saw Mikey Veale comes into the front row. Munster Academy scrum half Jack Oliver was also included in the match-day squad. 

Garryowen, who had beaten Armagh 45-21 to win the Energia Bateman Cup in 2019, trailed their Ulster opponents 0-6 at half-time at a wet Dooradoyle.

A converted try just try of the hour mark saw Armagh stretch their lead to 13-0. To their credit, Garryowen fought back with two Kelvin Langan penalty goals in the final quarter to secure a losing bonus point.

In Division 1B, Shannon welcomed Naas to Limerick. A Jake Flannery-inspired Shannon side had secured promotion back to the top flight in April 2022 when they beat Naas 30-15 in the play-off final in Coonagh.

In the sides latest meeting in Division 1B at Thomond Park on Saturday, Shannon hooker Adam Moloney, who scored two tries during the first fortnight of the league, was the only survivor in the Parish side's starting tight five, as Aaron McNamara, Tony Cusack, Cian McCann, and Jack Brady were all handed starts. Darren Gavin and the Munster-capped Stephen Kiely come into the back-three.

Shannon trailed their Co Kildare opponents 13-20 at half-time on the back pitch at Thomond Park on Saturday.

The Parish side led 7-3 early, thanks to a Cian O’Halloran try which was converted by John O’Sullivan.

Shannon led 13-10 after half an hour, with the home side adding a penalty goal from O'Sullivan.

Two tries for Naas in the opening 40 help them earn their seven point interval lead.

Within two minutes of the restart, Shannon had cut the deficit to just two points as Harry Long dotted down for 20-18.

A 67th minute penalty for Naas, which pushed the visitors five points to the good, proved to be final score of the game.

In Division 2A, Old Crescent trailed Banbridge 3-5 at half-time with the Ulster side scoring their try at Takumi Park in first half stoppage time.

Within five minutes of the restart the home side was in front as Brandon Nash dotted down from Timmy Duggan's kick upfield. Ronan McKenna converted the try for 10-5.

However, the lead was short-lived as Banbridge hit back with a converted try for 12-10. 

The decisive score in a tight contest arrived in the 70th minute when Crescent out-half Ronan McKenna landed what proved to be the match-winning penalty.

In Division 2C, the third round contest between Bruff and Belfast Harlequins at a wet Kilballyowen Park remained scoreless at half-time. 

Home side Bruff took hit the front when John Bateman scored the game's opening try. 

However, Belfast Harlequins hit back with a converted try to claim the precious victory 7-5.

The energia All-Ireland League takes a break next weekend before resuming on Saturday, October 19 with the first of two successive weekends of games.

DIVISION 1A:

CORK CONSTITUTION 25 YOUNG MUNSTER 5, Temple Hill
Scorers: Cork Constitution: Tries: Sean French, Adam Maher, Matthew Bowen; Cons: James Taylor 2; Pens: James Taylor 2
Young Munster: Try: Eoin McCormack

CORK CONSTITUTION: Matthew Bowen; Sean French, Billy Crowley, Eoghan Smyth, Joe O’Leary; James Taylor, Adam Maher; Alessandro Heaney, Billy Scannell, Luke Masters, Eoin Quilter, John Forde, Jack Kelleher, Ronán O’Sullivan, David Hyland (capt). Replacements: George Good, Charlie Connolly, James Morrison, Jacob Sheahan, Louis Kahn, Bruce Matthews.

YOUNG MUNSTER: Shane O’Leary; Hubert Gilvarry, Oisin Pepper, Manuel Covella, Stephen Lyons; Julian Leszczynski, Donnchadh O’Callaghan; Peter Meyer, Steven McLoughlin (capt), David Begley, Tom Goggin, Sean Rigney, James Horrigan, Bailey Faloon, Ronan Murphy. Replacements: Aaron Roulston, Paul Allen, Oran O’Reilly, Eoin McCormack, Jack Lyons, Ihechi Oji.

GARRYOWEN 6 CITY OF ARMAGH 13, Dooradoyle
Scorers: Garryowen: Pens: Kelvin Langan 2
City of Armagh; Try: Lewis Finlay; Con: Kyle Faloon; Pens: Kyle Faloon 2

GARRYOWEN: Colm Hogan; Alex Wood, Gordon Wood, Jack Delaney, Colm Quilligan; Kelvin Langan, Neil Cronin; Mikey Veale, Lars Linnenbank, Oisin Kearney, Oisin Cooke, Kevin Seymour, Des Fitzgerald, Oisin McCormack, Donnacha Byrne (capt). Replacements: Harry Gleeson, Ben O’Sullivan, Scott Leahy, Richie Costello, Jack Oliver, Tom Wood, Jack Costello.

CITY OF ARMAGH: Kyle Faloon; Matthew Hooks, Sam Berman, Evin Crummie, Sam Cunningham; Rocky Olsen, Lewis Finlay; Niall Carville, Jonny Morton, Paul Mullen, James Crummie, Josh McKinley, John Glasgow, Nigel Simpson (capt), Neil Faloon. Replacements: Finn Fehnert, Griffin Phillipson, James Anderson, Sam Glasgow, Andrew Willis, Dylan Nelson.

DIVISION 1B:

SHANNON 18 NAAS 23, Thomond Park back pitch
Scorers: Shannon: Tries: Cian O’Halloran, Harry Long; Con: John O’Sullivan; Pens: John O’Sullivan 2
Naas: Tries: Cormac King, Aidan O’Kane; Cons: Peter Osborne 2; Pens: Peter Osborne 3

SHANNON: Darren Gavin; Jack O’Donnell, Cian O’Halloran, Harry Long (capt), Stephen Kiely; John O’Sullivan, Ian Leonard; Aaron McNamara, Adam Moloney, Tony Cusack, Cian McCann, Jack Brady, Luke Moylan, Oisin Minogue, Lee Nicholas. Replacements: Shane Carew, Cathal Hynes, Michael Donnelly, Tadhg O’Brien, Evin Crowe, Cillian O’Connor.

NAAS: James O’Kane; Donal Conroy, Charlie Sheridan, Paddy Taylor, Jack Sheridan; Peter Osborne, Cormac King; Conor Doyle, Aidan O’Kane, Adam Deay, Koloa Aisake, James O’Loughlin, Eoin Walsh, Will O’Brien (capt), Ryan Casey. Replacements: Francisco Bartorelli, Kaleem Niazi, Darragh Murphy, Muiris Cleary, Michal Haznar, Lenny Valley.

DIVISION 2A:

OLD CRESCENT 13 BANBRIDGE 12,Takumi Park

Scorers: Old Crescent: Try: Brandon Nash; Con: Ronan McKenna; Pens: Ronan McKenna 2
Banbridge: Tries: Jack Hart, Peter Cromie; Con: Jack Hart

OLD CRESCENT: Glen Kelly; Timmy Duggan, Cathal Monaghan, Werner Hoffman, Jamie Duggan; Ronan McKenna, Gary Fitzgerald; Evan Creaven, Eoghan Quinn, Jake Considine, John Moloney, Yasin Browne, Sean Monaghan, Karl Madden (capt), Jack O’Neill. Replacements: Niall Hardiman, Casey Tanyi, Kevin Doyle, John Lyons, Brandon Nash.

BANBRIDGE: Adam Doherty; Xander Lowham, Nathan Hook, Jonny Scott, Justin Burns; Charlie Beattie, Jack Hart; Michael Cromie, Peter Cromie (capt), Stuart Cromie, Matthew Laird, Max Lyttle, Matthew Heasley, Dean Hayes, Robin Sinton. Replacements: John Wilson, Ryan Rodgers, Alex Thompson, Alex Weir, Neil Kilpatrick.

DIVISION 2B:

UL BOHEMIAN 17 RAINEY 15, UL 4G pitch

Scorers: UL Bohemian: Tries: Alan Kiely, Kian Regan; Cons: Oisin Fagan 2; Pen: Oisin Fagan
Rainey: Tries: Jody McMurray, Andrew Brown; Con: Scott McLean; Pen: Scott McLean

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

RAINEY: Killene Thornton; Ross McLaughlin, Damien McMurray, Andrew Brown, Scott McLean; Jack Hardy, Ryan Davies; Andrew Nevin, Daniel O’Neill (capt), Aidan McSwiggan, Adam Montgomery, Diarmuid Devlin, Michael McCusker, Mark Lee, Jody McMurray. Replacements: Deaglan McErlean, Lee Montgomery, Tom Hutchinson, Joel Bell, Jim McCartney.

DIVISION 2C:

BRUFF 5 BELFAST HARLEQUINS 7, Kilballyowen Park

Scorers: Bruff: Try: John Bateman
Belfast Harlequins: Try: Joel Dundas; Con: David Armstrong

BRUFF: Adam O’Dwyer, Mark Fitzpatrick, Shane Duggan, Andrew O’Byrne, Hugh Clogan; John Bateman, Cathal Garvey; Darragh O’Brien, Mike Frawley, Kieran O’Dwyer, Tom O’Dwyer (capt), Iago Dasi Somoza, Mark Kennedy, John Sheehan, Tom Lillis. Replacements: Sean O’Riordan, Brendan Keogh, Brendan Gleeson, Mike Cooke, Niall Burns, Andrew Purcell.

BELFAST HARLEQUINS: Daniel Bennett, Finn Bamber, Adam Bennett, Adam Simms, Tom Morris; Thomas Quigley, Johnny McCracken; Stephen Hunter, Alex Pybus, Ted Linton, Scott McClelland, Harry Palmer, Eddie Gorrod, Benji Neill, Joel Dundas (capt). Replacements: Cameron Hillis, Steven Weir, Will Gilby, David Armstrong, Tane Felix-Hotham.