WATCH: Garryowen claim vital top flight derby win on mixed day for Limerick's AIL sides

GARRYOWEN FC ended their six-game losing run in Division 1A of the Energia All-Ireland League with an incident-packed 31-24 derby win over Young Munster at Dooradoyle as two other Limerick sides also recorded wins on a dramatic day of action.

Garryowen scored four tries, three in the second half, to record their first league win since October 30 before a sizeable attendance, as Munsters' had to make-do with taking a losing bonus point from the contest.

In Division 1B, Shannon maintained their excellent recent run of results after scoring a comprehensive 42-24 bonus point win over Malone on the back pitch at Thomond Park.

The results sees Shannon, unbeaten in four games now, move up to fourth place in the Division 1B table.

Meanwhile, in Division 2A, Old Crescent, fresh from their bonus point derby win over UL-Bohs eight days earlier, made it back-to-back league wins when accounting for Nenagh Ormond 21-20.

Also in 2A, UL-Bohs fell to a heavy 42-17 defeat away to Ballymena RFC.

In Division 2C, seventh-placed Bruff suffered a 38-27 home defeat to table toppers Enniscorthy at Kilballyowen Park.

Garryowen managed as many tries in this hard fought Limerick derby, four, as they had in their previous four AIL fixtures.

WATCH: @GarryowenFC players take to pitch for big Limerick All-Ireland League Division 1A derby v Young Munster today at Dooradoyle #LLSport #EnergiaAIL pic.twitter.com/uvPuTJT3Pa

— Colm Kinsella (@ckSportLeader) January 22, 2022

Despite the win, Garryowen remain in seventh place in the league table, but are now within 9 points of the play-off places with seven rounds of games to go.

The defeat saw Young Munster, who did salvage a losing bonus point late on, drop to fourth place in the table, level on points with third-placed Terenure College. Munsters', who were losing for the first time in four games, are three points clear of fifth-placed Cork Con in the top flight table.

Garryowen got off to the best possible start when Colm Quilligan struck for his fifth AIL try of the season in the 15th minute. Exciting young out-half Tony Butler, who has been part of the Ireland U20 Six Nations squad this year, duly added the extras for 7-0.

Young Munster out-half Evan Cusack and Munster Academy out-half Butler traded penalties to make it 10-3 some seven minutes before half-time.

However, Munsters', who included Munster centre Dan Goggin in their starting line-up, finished the half strongly to take a 13-10 lead into half-time.

From a scrum deep inside the Garryowen '22, Munsters' produced a clever back-row move which saw number eight and stand-in captain Dan Walsh power his way over. Cusack converted and added a penalty goal just on half-time to leave the visitors enjoying that three-point advantage at the change of ends.

Garryowen began the second half the better and Sean Rennison's powerful carry and excellent off-load created the opening for their highly influential Munster scrum-half Neil Cronin to scamper over on 52 minutes. Several Young Munster layers protested that the ball hadn't been grounded properly, but to no avail. Butler's successful conversion made it 17-13 to the Light Blues.

WATCH: Neil Cronin's try has @GarryowenFC 17-13 to the good v @YoungMunsterRFC in @EnergiaEnergy All-Ireland League Division 1A Limerick derby at Dooradoyle #EnergiaAIL#LLSport @Limerick_Leader pic.twitter.com/ZSB7Jq5lFj

— Colm Kinsella (@ckSportLeader) January 22, 2022

To their credit, Munsters' hit back and a penalty goal from Cusack soon after left a point between the sides, 17-16.

Garryowen then stung their visitors with 12-unanswered points to take control of the derby. Tony Butler's delightfully-placed crossfield kick created the opening for winger Quilligan to dot down for the second time in the game and bring his try tally for the season in the AIL to six.

Butler also converted, while the free-running Bryan Fitzgerald added the bonus point try for the home side to stretch their advantage to 31-16 with some 10 minutes remaining.

However, battling Young Munster fought back strongly and the impressive Dan Walsh powered over from close range to grb his second try of the game, to leave 10 points between the sides, 31-21. Cusack added a penalty goal deep in stoppage time to rescue a losing bonus point for the Clifford Park side.

WATCH: Try for @YoungMunsterRFC who trail @GarryowenFC 21-31 in @EnergiaEnergy All-Ireland League Division 1A at Dooradoyle #LLSport @LimkLeaderSport pic.twitter.com/ugZmOSKCit

— Colm Kinsella (@ckSportLeader) January 22, 2022

Meanwhile, in Division 1B, Shannon have enjoyed an impressive run of late and the Parish side secured a maximum five-point haul in their 18-point win over Malone on the back pitch at Thomond Park.

The home side, who racked up six tries in all, led Malone 21-17 at half-time. Shannon had trailed 0-10 after 15 minutes rallied with tries from Killian Dineen, Lee Nicholas and Kieran Ryan to take the lead. The ever-reliable Jake Flannery also converted the three tries. 

Back came Malone to lead 24-21 with a converted try at the start of the second half. However, it proved to be the Ulster side's final score of the game as Shannon took control.

For the first time in 2022, Tony Cusack led us in a rousing rendition of There is an Isle following our 42-24 @IrishRugby #EnergiaAIL win over Malone.

@PrismDigital_ie pic.twitter.com/Y1zVJQdNDw

— Shannon RFC (@Shannon_RFC) January 22, 2022

Nicholas touched down for a second time in the 48th minute, following a break by Munster hooker Declan Moore. Flannery was again on target with the conversion for 28-24. 

WATCH: @YoungMunsterRFC players take to pitch for big Limerick All-Ireland League Division 1A derby v Garryowen today at Dooradoyle #LLSport #EnergiaAIL pic.twitter.com/QafoPhJ1bT

— Colm Kinsella (@ckSportLeader) January 22, 2022

Alan Flannery added Shannon's fifth try early in the final quarter with Jake's conversion increasing the home side's lead to 35-24.

Dynamic Munster hooker Moore then finished a smashing team move off to score a sixth try for the home side in the 70th minute, with Flannery again converting to round off the scoring.

In Division 2A, Old Crescent are up to fifth place in the table after making it back-to-back league wins with a hard fought one-point victory over Nenagh.

Crescent led 7-6 at half-time at Takumi Park, thanks to Val McDermott's try which was converted by Ronan McKenna.

The sides then traded converted tries after the resumption with Ronan Reynolds touching down for Crescent, while McKenna was again on target with the conversion to leave the scores 14-13.

Crescent, who sit four places above ninth-placed Nenagh in the table, took a grip on the game when Daniel Hurley scored their third try of the game, with McKenna duly adding the extras for 21-13.

Nenagh did hit back with a late converted try in injury time to leave a single point between the sides at full-time, 21-20.

Also in Division 2A, UL-Bohs remain eighth in the table - eight points clear of the bottom placed sides - after their heavy away to Ballymena.

After falling 0-7 in arrears, UL-Bohs hit back to draw level with a converted try. However, a second converted try for the home side saw Ballymena lead 14-7 at half-time. 

Ballymena stretched clear in the second half to build a sizeable 42-7 advantage, adding four converted tries. 

To their credit, UL-Bohs did finish the game strongly, hitting back with 10 unanswered points to reduce the margin of their defeat.

In Division 2C, Bruff are seven points clear of the bottom two sides in the table following their 11-point loss to high-flying Enniscorthy in South Limerick.

Bruff trailed 13-26 at half-time, having led 13-7 at one stage in the opening half. 

The home side hit back with a converted try in the second half to reduce their deficit to just six points, 20-26.

However, the Wexford visitors replied with 12 unanswered points, including two tries, to regain their grip on the game at 38-20.

Bruff had the final say in terms of the scoreboard when grabbing the final score of the high-scoring contest, a late converted try. However, Bruff were unable to rescue a losing bonus point or try bonus point. 

Mark Fitzgerald, Johnny Cleary and Graham Whelan scored the tries for Bruff, while Paul Collins converted all three and also kicked two penalties.