No luck for Limerick clubs in afternoon kicks-offs in All-Ireland League

THERE was no joy for Shannon, Old Crescent, UL-Bohemian or Bruff as the energia All-Ireland League reached the mid-point of the regular season on Saturday afternoon.

In Division 1B, ninth-placed Shannon remain in the relegation zone after suffering a last gasp 18-21 defeat to basement side Highfield on the back pitch at Thomond Park.

The Parish side, who secured a losing bonus point against their Cork visitors, occupy the relegation play-off position, five points behind eighth-placed Naas and now just two points ahead of bottom side Highfield who they will face in their next AIL fixture in January.

In Division 2A, Old Crescent had to make-do with taking a losing bonus also from their 22-29 reverse at the hands of Greystones.

The result leaves Crescent in seventh spot in the table, now a significant 11 points off the top four promotion play-off places.

There was also defeat for UL-Bohemian in Division 2B as the Red, Red Robins suffered a 17-21 defeat away to Malahide in Dublin.

UL-Bohs, who also picked up a losing bonus point, have dropped to fifth in the 2B table as a result, but are just a single point off the top four promotion play-off places with nine rounds of regular season games to come.

Meanwhile in Division 2C, Bruff scored three tries in succumbing 22-28 away to Clonmel, a result which also yielded a losing bonus point for the South Limerick side.

Bruff are in eighth place in the table at the mid-point of the regular season, six points clear of bottom side Tullamore and four points ahead of ninth-placed Omagh Academicals.

In Division 1B, Shannon led Highfield 8-7 at half-time on the back pitch at Thomond Park. The home side, who led 8-0 after 17 minutes, had a first half try from Jack Brady, while John O'Sullivan kicked a 14th minute penalty goal.

Into the second half and a converted try on 55 minutes had Highfield 14-8 in front before Shannon hit back for their second try in the 57th minute. A well-judged crossfield kick from Sean Nolan found Matt Te Pou who went over for a fine try. Nolan also added the conversion as Shannon led 15-14.

Nolan's 65th minute penalty stretched Shannon's lead to four points, 18-14. 

However, a last gasp converted try from Highfield secured the four points on offer for the Cork side. 

In Division 2A, Old Crescent trailed 13-17 to Greystones at Dr Hickey Park. A Brandon Nash try on the stroke of half-time to add to and a conversion and two penalties from Ronan McKenna had the Limerick side well in the game after the opening 40 minutes.

Into the second half, a fourth try from Greystones stretched their advantage out to 11 points at 24-13. However, three second half penalties from McKenna ensured Crescent did not come away from the Co Wicklow venue empty handed.

In 2B, UL-Bohemian held a slender two point lead over Malahide, 10-8, at Estuary Road at half-time, the visitors first half try scored by Darren Ferrar.

Malahide struck for a try early in the second half to see the home side into a useful 15-10 lead. A further Malahide try had the Dubliners 22-10 in front. 

However, UL-Bohs showed admirable resilience to fight back with Paul Clancy's try on the hour mark, converted by Oisin Fagan, leaving just five points between the sides, 22-17.

In Division 2C, Bruff trailed Clonmel 15-28 at half-time in Ardgaoithe. 

The Co Limerick side had a first half try from Cillian Rea, while Bruff were also awarded a penalty try. 

Clonmel moved 28-15 ahead into the second half. However, a second try from Rea ensured Bruff claimed a precious losing bonus point from the game, with Paul Collins adding the conversion.

The All-Ireland League clubs will play the reverse fixtures of today's Round 9 games when the AIL resumes on January 11, 2025.

DIVISION 1B:

SHANNON 18 HIGHFIELD 21, Thomond Park back pitch

Scorers: Shannon: Tries: Jack Brady, Matt Te Pou; Con: Sean Nolan; Pens: John O’Sullivan, Sean Nolan
Highfield: Tries: David O’Sullivan, Eoin Dorgan, Daragh Fitzgerald; Cons: Shane O’Riordan 3
HT: Shannon 8 Highfield 7

SHANNON: Sean Nolan; Cillian Corkery, Cian O’Halloran, Harry Long (capt), Matt Te Pou; John O’Sullivan, Evin Crowe; Kieran Ryan, Eoghan Clarke, Emmet Calvey, Jack Brady, Christian Storey, Scott Gleeson, Kelvin Brown, Lee Nicholas. Replacements: Alex Long, Shane Carew, Tadhg O’Brien, Ciaran Vaughan, Rory McDermott, Stephen Kiely.

HIGHFIELD: Shane O’Riordan; David O’Sullivan, Jamie Shanahan, Elliot Smith, Eoin Dorgan; Shane Buckley, Angus Lloyd; Corey Hanlon, Travis Coomey (capt), Daragh Fitzgerald, Conor Kennelly, David O’Halloran, David O’Connell, Mark Fitzgibbon, Pat McBarron. Replacements: Euan Kennedy, Niall Downing, Miah Cronin, Mark Dorgan, Richard Cassidy, Luke Kingston.

DIVISION 2A:

GREYSTONES 29 OLD CRESCENT 22, Dr Hickey Park

Scorers: Greystones: Tries: Andrew Lynch, Killian Marmion, Stephen Bourke 2, Conor McAleer; Cons: Killian Marmion 2
Old Crescent: Tries: Tries: Brandon Nash; Con: Ronan McKenna; Pens: Ronan McKenna 5
HT: Greystones 17 Old Crescent 13

GREYSTONES: Conor Balamine; Finn Gilmore, Andrew Lynch, Matt O’Brien, Craig Kenny; Killian Marmion, David Baker; Shane Fikken, Rob Byrne, Conor Pearse, Reeve Satherley, Michael Doyle, Stephen Bourke, Conor McAleer, Danny Kenny. Replacements: Matt Looby, Jamie Mulhern, Iva Duffy Takatai, Johan van der Flier, Paddy Byrne.

OLD CRESCENT: Daithi Byrnes; Conor Hogan, Cathal Monaghan, Brian Molloy, Brandon Nash; Ronan McKenna, Aaron Cosgrove; Evan Creaven, Jonathan Byrne, Jake Considine, Yasin Browne, Sean Monaghan, Niall Hardiman, ⁠James McKeogh, Jack O’Neill. Replacements: Kevin Doyle, Karl Madden, John Lyons, John Toland, Jamie Duggan.

DIVISION 2B:

MALAHIDE 22 UL BOHEMIAN 17, Estuary Road

Scorers: Malahide: Tries: David O’Halloran, Sam Lindeman, Marc Kelly; Cons: David O’Halloran 2; Pen: David O’Halloran
UL Bohemian: Tries: Paul Clancy, Darren Ferrar; Cons: Oisin Fagan 2; Pen: Oisin Fagan
HT: Malahide 8 UL Bohemian 10

MALAHIDE: Edward Weaver; Daniel Hayes, Matt Faulkner, David O’Halloran, Sam Lindeman; Michael Hanley, Conrad Daly; Amkela Kamogelo Nontso, Lee Byrne, James Hurley, Simon Burke, James Doyle, Marc Kelly (capt), Joe Cronin, John Shine. Replacements: Lee O’Grady, Sean Cronin, David O’Brien, Tom Hogan, Hugo Phillips.

UL-BOHEMIAN: Seamus Lyne; Matt Sheahan, Killian Dineen, Paul Clancy, Darragh O’Gorman (capt); Oisin Fagan, Alan Kiely; Kean Sheehy, Darren Ferrar, Kian Regan, Jack Foley, Padraic Galvin, Jordan Mills, David Rowsome, Liam Neilan. Replacements: Sam Lynch, Pauric Nesbitt, Lochlann Kelleher, Luca Cleary, Liam O’Shanahan.

DIVISION 2C:

CLONMEL 28 BRUFF 22, Ardgaoithe

Scorers: Clonmel: Tries: Henry Buttimer, Freddie Davies, Tom O’Dea 2; Cons: Joey O’Connor 4
Bruff: Tries: Cillian O’Rea 2, Penalty try; Cons: Paul Collins, Pen try con; Pen: Paul Collins
HT: Clonmel 28 Bruff 15

CLONMEL: Albert Fronek; Luke Hogan, Henry Buttimer (capt), Joey O’Connor, Freddie Davies; Drew Musa, Dylan Cadogan; Tim Nugent, Jason Monua, Ben Everard, Diarmuid Brannock, Gerrit Huisamen, Tom O’Dea, Bobby Doherty, Andrew Daly. Replacements: Liam Ryan, Tomas Stransky, Brian O’Dea, Diarmuid Devaney, Alex Sheehan.

BRUFF: John Bateman; Shane Duggan, Andrew O’Byrne, Conor Fitzpatrick, Clem McAuliffe; Paul Collins, Sean Killbridge; Ciaran Cronin, Mike Frawley, Kieran O’Dwyer, Tom O’Dwyer, Brendan Gleeson, Tom Lillis, John Sheehan, Cillian Rea (capt). Replacements: Sean O’Riordan, Darragh O’Brien, Mark Kennedy, Ben Tucker, Cathal Garvey.