Limerick Junior Rugby weekend previews

ST Mary’s are making no secret of their ambition to return to MJL1 next season and their bonus point away win last Sunday in Ballincollig provided a welcome boost.

This Sunday the challenge is equally  demanding. Thurles will see their visit to Grove Island as a make or  break fixture. They are fourth in the table on 15 points with St Mary’s and Crosshaven on top with 19 points and Clonakilty third on 18 points.

If the ‘Saints’get the win on Sunday, it could be a battle right to the end for themselves and their two County Cork chasers as this league progresses. 

Richmond are back to league action in MJL1 and they face the prospect of possible back to back defeats at the hands of Clonmel. These sides met last Sunday in the Junior Challenge Cup with the Tipperary side going through to the next round thanks to a third quarter surge of scores.

Richmond, who trail Clonmel by two points at the top of the table, say that they were without a number of their first choicers last week-end but they will certainly want to put up a better show in Ard na Gaoithe if they are to prevent the leaders from pushing further ahead. 

Abbeyfeale have been having a steady run in fifth position and they should add to their 17 points in their home meeting with Youghal while Newcastle West will be favourites to try and move up from seventh position when Skibbereen visit them.

Galbally have been having a poor league campaign and they are rooted one rung from the bottom with zero points as they travel to Shannon Town for a meeting with St Senan’s.

A victory there would be a major boost for the County Limerick side but they will have to improve on recent league performances. 

The Gleeson League continues on Saturday with Ennis entertaining UL-Bohemian, Newport at home to St Mary’s, Old Crescent will welcome St Senan’s, Scariff play Newcastle West/Abbeyfeale and the big game of the day is the meeting of Shannon and Richmond in Coonagh.

These two sides have been impressive all season with Shannon, in particular, chalking up some impressive try scoring stats.

Meetings between these two local rivals invariably provide competitive games and this one will be no exception. 

Saint Mary’s got their MJL2 promotion bid back on track last week-end, registering a bonus point victory in Ballincollig but fellow local club Richmond crashed out of the Munster Junior Challenge Cup when they went down to Clonmel in Richmond Park. 

There was a full list of Gleeson League games also down for decision last Saturday with wins for Shannon, Richmond and Old Crescent, two other fixtures were called off while Young Munster had a big win over UL Bohemian in the Munster Seconds League. 

Munster Junior League, division two:

Ballincollig 15, St Mary’s 24

THE ‘Saints’ achieved their goal from this visit to Tanner Park but,  according to a club spokesman they should have pushed on for a bigger  winning margin.

Playing uphill and against a strong breeze, the Grove  Island side led 10-12 at half time and they increased that lead to  10-24 ten minutes into the second half. 

A try by Paul Loughran in the opening minutes set St Mary’s off to a  good start but Ballincollig replied with a penalty soon after to leave  the score at 3-5.

Out-half Sean Lyons was impressive throughout and he  scored a try and a conversion to give the visitors a 12-3 lead but on  the stroke of half time Ballincollig got in for a converted try which  saw them trail by just two points. 

The first ten minutes of the second half was dominated by St Mary’s. 

Right from the whistle they set about their task and a second Sean  Lyons try and conversion as well a try by Keith McManus pushed the  lead to 12-24 with the four tries ensuring the bonus point. 

The ‘Saints’ failed to score in that last 30 minutes while  Ballincollig snatched an unconverted try late in the game. Next up for St Mary’s is a home game next week-end against Thurles and  they will have to improve on this performance if they are to maintain  their league position. 

Junior Challenge Cup:

Richmond 9, Clonmel 25

At half time at  a well-attended Richmond Park, the home side were well in this game  and led 9-6.

The second half told a different story. Richmond failed  to add to that first half tally while Clonmel appeared to get a new  lease of life, running up 19 unanswered points. Three yellow cards  during the game did little for the Richmond cause and the fact that  they fielded without seven of their regulars could well have been a  factor for this defeat. Tadhg Bennett kicked the three penalties for  Richmond who must improve if they are to remain in a challenging  position for league honours. 

Seconds League

UL-Bohs 12 Young Munster 65

Injuries to  their two props early in the game, resulting in uncontested scrums,  certainly affected the Annacotty boys in this game and Young Munster  ran riot in this one-sided affair. 

In the Gleeson League last Saturday the game between Presentation and  St Mary’s was called off when no referee was available.

The fixture  between Galbally and Fethard and District also met the same fate. 

Newcastle West/Abbeyfeale 0 Shannon 48

Try scores for Shannon in  this one-sided affair were Eoghan Kelly, Diarmuid Cassidy, Tom  O’Neill, Paul Curtis, Tom Harrington and Brian Roche while Ronan Hunt  and Dara O’Doherty shared the kicking. 

Richmond 27, Newport 7

The city side are going well in this competition  and they recorded another win at the week-end. Newport put up stout resistance in the first half but a converted try was their only reward  for their efforts.

Richmond’s Emmett Harty scored a brace of tries and  there was one try each from Ciaran O’Hanlon, Pearce McCarthy and Alan 

Kealon. Stephen Clancy kicked a conversion. 

UL Bohemian 0 Old Crescent 29

A good win for Crescent thirds who  scored five tries without replay in this game in Annacotty. On the scoresheet were Robbie Walker, Joe Barrett, Tom Moloney, Alan Grimes  and Eoin Murray. Two conversions from Dave O’Carroll finished off a  good 80 minutes for the Rosbrien side. 

Garryowen, with 20 points, currently top the Gleeson League A table  with five games played. They are three points clear of Shannon with Richmond third on the same 17 points and St Mary’s next on 16 points.