UL Bohs Through to Final

UL Bohemians secured their place in the final with a five tries to three victory with two of those Barnhall tries coming in the closing minutes and much too late to affect the outcome.

James O’Neill and Keith Mathews scored two first half tries to leave Barnhall 14-5 up at half time – Conor Bass the Barnhall try scorer.
Within two minutes of the re-start Martin McPhail crossed for his side’s third try. (19-5)

The visitors clung on tenaciously but Bohs made the game safe in the 70th minute when McPhail scored his second try after Anthony Horgan had intercepted near the halfway line. Moments later James O’Neill found Matthews for his second try of the afternoon and the home side were out of sight.

Colm Morgan and Aenghus Waters scored late tries for Barnhall.

UL Bohemians. R Desmond; K Matthews, C Finn, M McPhail, A Coetzee; I Costello, L O’Connell (capt); C Neilan, G Ryan, M Harty, C Fitzgerald, B Dineen, J O’Neill, A O’Gorman, A Hartigan. Replacements: J Danagher for Neilan (42 mins), K Flanagan for Harty (53), S Brown for Fitzgerald (60), K Gilligan got Coetzee (75).

Barnhall. B Burke; A Munn, M O’Reilly, M Lax, C Morgan; C Burke, P Caldwell; P Sewell, C Allen, W Bowden, J Lark, D Keating, C O Mongain, C Bass, D Gilmore. Replacements: H Hodgson for Allen (60 mins), S O’Neill for Sewell (60), A Watters for Munn (70).

Referee: G Doyle (Ulster).

Meanwhile, it was business as usual for Belfast Harlequins on Saturday as the Division Two champions breezed into the inaugural play-off final by crushing Old
Crescent 38-8 at Deramore Park.
A try within the opening 30 seconds by stocky South African centre Rhys Botha set the tone and, although Crescent came back into it well, ‘Quins
eased away in the second half to ultimately win by a 30-point margin.

Fullback Altus Meyer missed a penalty for the visitors after a quarter of an hour, but was successful with his next attempt midway through the half before the sides traded a try apiece in quick succession.
Kiwi outhalf Ajay Derwin made the initial break for Harlequins before
Botha’s pass was juggled by Ireland Under 19 centre Andy Lowe as he raced over to score, with former international outhalf Niall Malone kicking a superb touchline conversion.
But Meyer crashed over at the other end three minutes later, though he couldn’t add the extra points or do better than hit the post with another penalty attempt, so Crescent turned around four in arrears.

Harlequins, who piled up a remarkable 549 points in their 15 league matches, got off to an ideal start in the second half when No 8 Chris McCarey got over for a try within two minutes of the resumption and Derwin quickly added another, which Malone converted.
Malone also embellished his team’s last two tries, scored early in the final quarter by Ulster hooker Ritchie Weir and in the dying minutes by lock Andy Emerson.