Four Limerick wins as energia All-Ireland League resumes after Christmas and New Year's break

ROUND 10 of the Energia All-Ireland League saw two Limerick derbies take place, with Thomond and Shannon securing precious victories. 

READ MORE: Shannon RFC see off Old Crescent in All-Ireland League Limerick derby clash

In Division 1A, Young Munster secured a 43-31 victory over Nenagh Ormond in Tipperary.

ENERGIA ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE MEN’S DIVISIONS – ROUND 10:

DIVISION 1A

NENAGH ORMOND 31-43 YOUNG MUNSTER, NEW ORMOND PARK 

Scorers: Nenagh Ormond: Tries: Willie Coffey 2, Charlie O’Doherty, Luke Kerr; Cons: Charlie O’Doherty 4; Pen: Charlie O’Doherty

Young Munster: Tries: Oran O’Reilly, Luke McCready, Ajae Hanson, Stephen McLoughlin, Oisin Pepper, Jake O’Riordan; Cons: Shane O’Leary 5; Pen: Shane O’Leary

HT: Nenagh Ormond 24 Young Munster 26

NENAGH ORMOND: Davey Gleeson; Patrick Scully, Sean O’Brien, Angus Blackmore, Fionn Higgins; Charlie O’Doherty, Luke Kerr; Mikey Doran, Dylan Murphy, Matthew Burke, Kevin Seymour, Kevin O’Flaherty (capt), John O’Flaherty, Rob Buckley, Willie Coffey.

Replacements: Mateo Sentous, Sean Frawley, Fionn O’Meara, Robbie Tynan, Nicky Irwin, James Finn.

YOUNG MUNSTER: Shane O’Leary; Oisin Pepper, Fionn Gibbons, Luke McCready, Shay McCarthy; Kelvin Langan, Jake O’Riordan; David Begley, Stephen McLoughlin, Kieran Ryan, Alan Kennedy (capt), Oran O’Reilly, Ajae Hanson, Bailey Faloon, Luke Murphy.

Replacements: Arron Roulston, Ben Everard, James Horrigan, Leo Langbridge, Tony Butler, Orin Burke.

DIVISION 1B

In Division 1B, Garrowen were unable to make home advantage count in Dooradoyle, losing by five points to their Highfield visitors.

GARRYOWEN 10 HIGHFIELD 15, Dooradoyle

Scorers: Garryowen: Try: Luca Cleary; Con: Lachlan Stewart; Pen: Lachlan Stewart

Highfield: Tries: James Cronin, Nicky Greene; Con: Shane O’Riordan; Pen: Shane O’Riordan

HT: Garryowen 10 Highfield 7

GARRYOWEN: Fionn Rowsome; Tom Ironside Wickham, Alex Wood, JJ O’Neill, Colm Quilligan; Lachlan Stewart, Luca Cleary; George Hadden, Max Clein, Ben Leahy, Jack Costello, Rory Woods, Des Fitzgerald (capt), Billy Hayes, Alan Fitzgerald.

Replacements: Dara Phelan, Mark Fitzgerald, Taylor Gayle, Sean Rennison, Chulainn Williams, Sean Sexton.

HIGHFIELD: Shane Buckley; Nicky Greene, Dave McCarthy, Mark Dorgan, Noah Patterson; Shane O’Riordan, Chris Banon; James Cronin, Travis Coomey, Daragh Fitzgerald, Conor Kennelly, Dave O’Connell (capt), Aidan Keane, Conor Galvin, Ryan Gordon.

Replacements: Rob Murphy, Cillian Buckley, Dave O’Halloran, Mark Fitzgerald, Jack Quinlan, Dave O’Sullivan.

DIVISION 2A

Shannon secured a 21-10 victory over Old Crescent at Takumi Park on Friday.

The win ensured Shannon completed a home and away double over Crescent this season in the League, following the Parish side's 27-12 success at Thomond Park in December.

Shannon held a slender 6-5 advantage at the end of a hard fought opening half at Takumi Park on Friday night.

Two penalty goals from Jamie Gavin in the 21st and 39th minutes after the home side had opened the scoring with a well-worked try had the visitors narroly in front at the break.

Shannon then took a grip on the game in the third quarter as Cian McCann crossed for a 45th minute try and Jamie Gavin added a 53rd minute penalty to push their lead out to nine points at 14-5.

The visitors then sealed the victory when scoring their second try through Darren Gavin, while Jamie Gavin added the extras for a 21-5 advantage.

Home side Old Crescent did manage the final points of the game as they struck for their second try of the evening late on.

OLD CRESCENT 10 SHANNON 21, Takumi Park 
Scorers: Old Crescent: Tries: Stephen Kiely, Oisin Toland

Shannon: Tries: Cian McCann, Darren Gavin; Con: Jamie Gavin; Pens: Jamie Gavin 3

HT: Old Crescent 5 Shannon 6

OLD CRESCENT: Jack O’Mahony; Stephen Kiely, Brian Molloy, Paul McNamara, Dan Hurley; Jeff Williams, Aaron Cosgrove; Joe Rickard, Niall Hardiman (capt), Dennis O’Dwyer, John Moloney, Oisin Toland, John Toland, ⁠James McKeogh, Jack Dineen.

Replacements: James Rael, ⁠Nesta Nyamakazi, John Lyons, Joe McEnery, John Hurley.

SHANNON: Matt Te Pou; Darren Gavin, Cian O’Halloran, Harry Long (capt), Josh Costello; Jamie Gavin, Neil Cronin; Shane Carew, Adam Moloney, Tony Cusack, Luke Moylan, Cian McCann, Alex Lautsou, Oisin Minogue, Neal Moylett.

Replacements: Gus Harrington, Ronan Ryan, Samson Alaimoana, Lee Nicholas, Robbie Deegan.

DIVISION 2B

ENNISCORTHY 10 UL BOHEMIAN 21, ALCAST PARK

Scorers: Enniscorthy: Tries: Tom Ryan. Conversions: Conal Kervick. Penalties: Ben Kidd.

Scorers: UL Bohemian: Tries: Paul Clancy, Padraic Galvin, Jordan Mills, Conversions: Cian Casey 3.

HT: Enniscorthy 3 UL Bohemian 7

Enniscorthy: Jack Kelly, Robbie Chapman, Rhyan Whelan, Anthony Byrne, Miguel Byrne, Ben Kidd, Fiachra Hourihane, Ore Lasisi, Davie Murphy (capt), Scott O’Connor, Tom Ryan, Tomas Stamp, Mikey McVeigh, Lee Treacy, Tony Ryan.

Replacements: Grant Palmer, Shane O’Rourke, Andrew Redmond, Graham Barry, Conal Kervick.

UL Bohemian: Oisin Fagan, Greg Fitzgerald, Killian Dineen, Paul Clancy, Darragh O’Gorman (capt), Cian Casey, Donnchadh O’Callaghan, Kean Sheehy, Darren Ferrar, Jack Ryan, Simon Staunton, Padraic Galvin, Liam Neilan, Mihlali Mgolodela, Jordan Mills.

Replacements: Tom Cullen, Pauric Nesbitt, Shane Buckley, Zac O’Loughlin, Joe Johnson

DIVISION 2C

Division 2C saw yet another all Limerick affair take place when Thomond defeated Bruff on a scoreline of 22-20 at Liam Fitzgerald Park. 

Thomond, who went into Saturday afternoon's clash top of the table ,were made work for their two-point win, on a bitterly cold and wet day at Liam Fitzgerald Park. 

It was the visitors who dominated proceedings early on in the contest, with Thomond unable to get out of their half for much of the opening 20 minutes.

The pressure from their Bruff visitors was constant and that showed on the scoreboard. John Bateman secured his side's first points of the day via a penalty after five minutes. 

Bruff continued to pile on the pressure after Bateman's effort and the away side touched down for minutes via Wiktor Wilczuk later to lead 10-0 after 12 minutes. Just like with his penalty earlier on in the contest, Bateman made no mistake from the resulting conversion. 

The Bruff fly-half did have the chance to extend his side's lead via a penalty on the half hour mark, but Bateman dragged his effort wide. 

The home side did spring into life just before half time and managed to register their first points of the day. After a lengthy spell of possession, Jamie McGarry touched down for the hosts to give the home support something to cheer about on the stroke of half time.

Evan Cusack wasn't able to convert and Bruff went in 10-5 ahead at the break. 

Cusack redeemed himself early into the second half, slotting over a penalty to leave just two points between the sides and from here, the game exploded into life. 

Thomond took the lead after 50 minutes when Sam Birrane touched down following a fine team move by the hosts and Cusack made no mistake from the conversion, swinging the ball over the bar from an acute angle to give his side a 15-10 lead.

The Bruff response was swift, a Paul Collins penalty leaving just two points between the sides yet again. 

The visitors then re-gained the lead when Fionn Flanghan touched down, Paul Collins converted and the pendulum swung back in favour of the East Limerick side. 

Birrane came to his side's aid yet again, scoring his second try of the day on 64 minutes, and with Cusack converting, it set up a grand stand finish between the two county rivals. 

Thomond were reduced to 14 for the closing stages when referee Kevin Coffey sent Kian McGrath to the sin bin. It would not stop the hosts in claiming a hard fought two point win as they remain top of the pile in Division 2C. 

THOMOND 22 BRUFF 20, LIAM FITZGERALD PARK

Scorers: Thomond RFC: Tries: Jamie McGarry, Sam Birrane 2. Conversions: Evan Cusack 2. Penalties: Evan Cusack. 

Scorers: Bruff: Tries: Wiktor Wilczuk, Fionn Flanagan. Conversions: John Bateman, Paul Collins. Penalties: John Bateman, Paul Collins.

HT: Thomond RFC 5 Bruff 10

Thomond RFC: Jamie McGarry, Sam Birrane, Jason Kiely, Luke Fitzgerald, Luke Costello, Evan Cusack, Evan Maher (capt), Cathal Ryan, Sean Rice, Kian McGrath, Shane Kelly, Suliano Mainavolau, Ryain O’Donovan Ahern, Joshua Tunney-Ware, Riann O’Dwyer.

Replacements: Colin Slater, Tom Goggin, Daniel O’Flaherty, Kealan McMahon, Eoghain Sherlock.

Bruff: Clem McAuliffe, Patricio Neheun, Jesse Bowring, Andrew O’Byrne, Mike O’Grady, John Bateman, Cathal Garvey, Darragh O’Brien, Wiktor Wilczuk, Fionn Flanagan, Brendan Gleeson, Pa Maher, Mike Frawley, John Sheehan, Cillian Rea (capt).

Replacements: Kieran O’Dwyer, Tom O’Dwyer, Aidan Carroll, Mark Kennedy, Paul Collins, Ben Tucker.