Four Limerick wins on opening weekend of All-Ireland League season

THERE were four Limerick wins, including one for newly-promoted Thomond, on a dramatic opening day of action in the new energia All-Ireland League season.

Limerick's only representatives in Division 1A of the league, Young Munster, had to make-do with taking two bonus points from their opening round 35-33 defeat away to Ballynahinch.

Munsters' had trailed 7-28 at half-time, but stormed back in the second half to come within a whisker of gaining an opening day win.

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In Division 1B, Garryowen made a winning start to their campaign following their relegation from the top flight. The Light Blues defeated UCC 22-19 at Dooradoyle. 

The two Limerick sides competing in Division 2A experienced contrasting fortunes. Shannon, who were relegated from Division 1B at the end of last season, picked up a losing bonus point following their 26-19 defeat to Cashel on the back pitch at Thomond Park.

Also in Division 2A, Old Crescent got off to a winning start when defeating Ballymena 16-11 at Takumi Park.

Meanwhile, in Division 2B, UL-Bohemian recorded an impressive 33-21 bonus point win away to Navan.

In Division 2C, Thomond, reurning to the competition after a six-year break, opened their AIL campaign with an exciting 29-22 victory over old rivals Bective Rangers at Fitzgerald Park.

Also in Division 2C, Bruff suffered a 40-25 defeat to Midleton in East Cork in their opening game.  

Meanwhile, in the Energia All-Ireland League Women's Division, UL-Bohemian defeated Blackrock College 21-12 at Stradbrook on Saturday.

ENERGIA ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE DIVISION 1A:

BALLYNAHINCH 35 YOUNG MUNSTER 33, Ballymacarn Park

Scorers Ballynahinch: Tries: Matthew Booth, Mark Best, Claytan Milligan, Tom McAllister, Bradley Luney. Conversions: Conor Rankin 5. Young Munster: Tries: Hubert Gilvarry 2, Shay McCarthy, Christian Foley, Paul Allen. Conversions: Kelvin Langan 4.

HT: Ballynahinch 28 Young Munster 7

BALLYNAHINCH: Conor Rankin, Ethan Graham, Matthew Booth, Mark Best, Aaron Sexton, Paul Kerr, Chris Gibson, Matthew Burke, Claytan Milligan, Tom McAllister, Declan Horrox, Bradley Luney, Marcus Rea, Zack McCall, Bryn Ward. Replacements: Joshua Hanlon, Joseph Mawhinney, Ryan Connolly, Peter Heasley, James Humphreys, Pierce Crowe.

YOUNG MUNSTER: Harry Langbridge, Hubert Gilvarry, Shay McCarthy, Luke McCready, Orin Burke, Kelvin Langan, John Poland, Christian Foley, Liam McMahon, Kieran Ryan, Alan Kennedy, Ajae Hanson, Stephen McLoughlin, Bailey Faloon, Fintan Coleman. Replacements: Arron Roulston, Paul Allen, Oran O’Reilly, James Horrigan, Leo Lamgbridge, Jake O’Riordan.

DIVISION 1B:

GARRYOWEN 22 UCC RUGBY 19, Dooradoyle

SCORERS: Garryowen: Tries: Alan Fitzgerald, Max Clein, Mark Fitzgerald. Conversions: Tom Wood 2. Penalties: Lachlan Stewart. UCC Rugby: Tries: Christopher Barrett 2, Stephen O’Shaughnessy. Conversions: Harry Murphy 2.

HT: Garryowen 8 UCC Rugby 12

GARRYOWEN: Fionn Rowsome, Colm Quilligan, Alexander Wood, Jack Delaney, Sean Sexton, Lachlan Stewart, Harry Chittick, George Hadden, Jonathan Byrne, Thymo Peters, Joe Finn, Finn McCall, Oisin Cooke, Des Fitzgerald (capt), Alan Fitzgerald.
Replacements: Max Clein, Mark Fitzgerald, Ben Leahy, Jack Costello, Luca Cleary, Tom Wood.

UCC RUGBY: Ben O’Connor, Jed O’Dwyer, Gene O’Leary Kareem, David Cogan, Mark Hetherington, Harry Murphy, Christopher Barrett, Sean Dunne, Stephen O’Shaughnessy, Daniel McCarthy, Sam O’Sullivan (capt), Kamil Novak, Jason Aherne, Dawid Nowak, Sean Edogbo. Replacements: George Rasmussen, Alex Hamilton, Jamie Browne, Michael O’Sullivan, Paddy Gaffney, Charlie Patrick O’Shea.

DIVISION 2A:

OLD CRESCENT 16 BALLYMENA 11, Takumi Park

SCORERS: Old Crescent: Try: Timmy Duggan; Con: Jeff Williams; Pens: Jeff Williams 3. Ballymena: Try: Adam Lamont; Pens: Callum Davidson 2

HT: Old Crescent 7 Ballymena 8

OLD CRESCENT: Steven Kiely; Daithi Byrnes, Jason Aylward, Timmy Duggan, Dan Hurley; Jeff Williams, Aaron Cosgrove,; Nesta Nyamakazi, Niall Hardiman (capt), Robert Magill, John Moloney, Oisin Toland, John Toland, James Rael, Cillian Toland. Replacements: Joe Rickard, Evan Creaven, John Lyons, Brian Molloy, Gary Fitzgerald.

BALLYMENA: Sean McKay; Ben Neely, Daniel Vercoe Rogers, Callum Patterson, Michael McLean; Nathan Carroll, Callum Davidson; Andrew Warwick, Alexander Clarke, Angus Graham, David Milford, Jonny Browne, Paddy Browne, James McClean, Adam Lamont (capt). Replacements: Callum Mustoe, Matthew Wright, Lee Montgomery, Nick van deer Linde, Angus Robson.

SHANNON 19 CASHEL 26, Thomond Park back pitch

SCORERS: Shannon: Try: Josh Costello; Con: Cillian O’Connor; Pens: Cillian O’Connor 3, Neil Cronin. Cashel: Tries: Rob Carney 2, Timothy Townsend 2; Cons: John O’Sullivan 3

HT: Shannon 16 Cashel 12

SHANNON: Darren Gavin; Josh Costello, Cian O’Halloran, Harry Long (capt), Matt Te Pou; Cillian O’Connor, Neil Cronin; Tony Cusack, Alex Long, Jamie Conway, Samson Alaimoana, Cian McCann, Luke Moylan, Neal Moylett, Oisin Minogue. Replacements: Adam Moloney, Emmet Calvey, Alex Lautsou, Ian Leonard, Luke Doyle.

CASHEL: Timothy Townsend; Rob Carney, Alan Flannery, Jamie Ryan, Marcel Strydom; John O’Sullivan, Fionn Carney; Mike Treacy, David Upton, Adam Shirley, Diarmuid Rowe, Fearghail O’Donoughue, Mikey Wilson, Richard Moran (capt), Ciaran Ryan. Replacements: Joe Callery, Barry Bracken, Cormac O’Donnell, Marcello Frati, Ryan O’Sullivan.

DIVISION 2B:

NAVAN 21 UL BOHEMIAN 33, Balreask Old

SCORERS: Navan: Tries: Conor Hand, Gary Faulkner, Jordan Finney; Cons: Harrison Astley 3. UL Bohemian: Tries: Joel Rowntree, Oisin Fagan 2, Joe Johnson, Zac O’Loughlin; Cons: Oisin Fagan 4

HT: Navan 21 UL Bohemian 12

NAVAN: Shane Walshe; Cormac Horan, Ben McEntagart, Drew Hamilton, Harry Devlin; Harrison Astley, Noah Kavanagh; James Wyse, Gary Faulkner, Jordan Finney, Rokas Lipinskas, Karolis Navickas, Kade Su’a, Michael Brady, Conor Hand (capt). Replacements:Fionn Craik, Liam Carroll, Andrew Keating, Saul Nicholson, Mark Farrell.

UL BOHEMIAN: Greg Fitzgerald; Joe Johnson, Killian Dineen (capt), Joel Rowntree, Zac O’Loughlin; Oisin Fagan, Donnchadh O’Callaghan; Kean Sheehy, Darren Ferrar, Jake Considine, Simon Staunton, Padraic Galvin, Sean Quirke, Conor Nesbitt, Liam Neilan. Replacements:Sam Lynch, Pauric Nesbitt, Jack Ryan, Evan Lacey, Liam O’Shanahan.

DIVISION 2C:

MIDLETON 40 BRUFF 25, Towns Park

SCORERS: Midleton: Tries: JB du Toit, Ted Coleman, Conor McCarthy, Kyle Read, Gary Downey, Seamus Lyne; Cons: Conall Doyle 5. Bruff: Tries: Shane Duggan, Pa Maher, Andrew O’Byrne; Cons: Paul Collins 2; Pens: Paul Collins 2
HT: Midleton 12 Bruff 11

MIDLETON: Seamus Lyne; Darragh Daly, Eoghan Devaney, Ted Coleman, William Meyer; Conall Doyle, Kyle Read; Steve Monaghan, JB Du Toit (capt), Fionn O’Connell, Andrew Beyrooti, Denis Broderick, Lee McSherry, Conor McCarthy, Flor McCarthy. Replacements: Mark Corby, Ryan Lehane, Idris Rqibi, Dan Walsh, Gary Downey.

BRUFF: Paul Collins; Shane Duggan, Jesse Bowring, Andrew O’Byrne, Patricio Neheun; John Bateman, Cathal Garvey; Ciaran Cronin, Wiktor Wilczuk, Kieran O’Dwyer, Tom O’Dwyer, Brendan Gleeson, Mike Frawley, John Sheehan, Cillian Rea (capt). Replacements: Darragh O’Brien, Pa Maher, Mark Kennedy, Hugh Clogan, Clem McAuliffe, Darragh Browne.

THOMOND 29 BECTIVE RANGERS 22, Liam Fitzgerald Park

SCORERS: Thomond: Tries: Suliano Mainavolau, Ryain O’Donovan Ahern, Riann O’Dwyer, Colin Slater; Cons: Evan Cusack 3; Pen: Evan Cusack. Bective Rangers: Tries: Connor Halpenny, Shane O’Meara, Chris Poole; Cons: Connor Halpenny 2; Pen: Oly Foote

HT: Thomond 19 Bective Rangers 12

THOMOND: Luke Costello; Sam Birrane, Jason Kiely, Luke Fitzgerald, Andrew Lyons; Evan Cusack, Evan Maher; Rian Burke, Colin Slater, Kian McGrath, Riann O’Dwyer, Joe Costello, Kealan McMahon (capt), Ryain O’Donovan Ahern, Suliano Mainavolau. Replacements: Peter Meyer, Sean Rice, Josh Tunney-Ware, Lloyd Costelloe, Jake Connolly.

BECTIVE RANGERS: Tim Carroll; Chris Rolland, Bobby Holland, Martin O’Neill, Shane O’Meara; Oly Foote, Connor Halpenny; Oscar Egan, Chris Hennessy, Conor Kelly, Killian Hanley, Mark O’Brien, Mattie Keane, Chris Poole, Tiarnan McCloskey (capt). Replacements: Luke Mion, Ronan Cregan, Oisin McCloskey, Eoin Joy, Mikey O’Hare.

ENERGIA ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE WOMEN'S DIVISION:

BLACKROCK COLLEGE 12 UL BOHEMIAN 21, Stradbrook

Scorers: Blackrock College: Tries: Maggie Boylan 2; Con: Abby Moyles. UL Bohemian: Tries: Aoibhe O’Flynn, Eilís Cahill, Chloe Pearse; Cons: Caitríona Finn 3

HT: Blackrock College 7 UL Bohemian 14

BLACKROCK COLLEGE: Abby Moyles; Andi Murphy, Ella Durkan, Cara Martin, Maggie Boylan; Lauren Farrell McCabe, Amelie Birrell; Aoife Moore, Niamh Tester, Ava Fannin, Kate Jordan, Nikki Gibson, Carrie O’Keeffe, Maeve Óg O’Leary, Hannah O’Connor (capt). Replacements: Ann-Marie Rooney, Megan Brodie, Molly Fitzpatrick, Regan Casey, Sophie Balay-Chawke, Ava Ryder, Trinity Todd.

UL BOHEMIAN: Aoife Corey; Lucia Linn, Éabha Nic Dhonnacha, Caitríona Finn, Alana McInerney; Kate Flannery, Abbie Salter-Townshend; Ciara McLoughlin, Lily Brady, Eilís Cahill, Aoibhe O’Flynn, Claire Bennett, Anaïs Jubin, Clodagh O’Halloran, Chloe Pearse (capt). Replacements: Emma Dunican, Gráinne Burke, Louise Carter, Ava O’Malley, Rachel Allen, Maddy Kushner, Abaigeal Connon.