AIB League: Status Quo For Lansdowne And Barnhall
Lansdowne proved too powerful for UCC, beating the students 29-6 in Saturday’s Division One play-off. Meanwhile Barnhall retained their Division Two status, scoring a 25-15 win over Clonakilty.
Lansdowne proved too powerful for UCC, beating the students 29-6 in Saturday’s Division One play-off. Meanwhile Barnhall retained their Division Two status, scoring a 25-15 win over Clonakilty.
AIB League: Saturday, April 23
Division One Relegation/Promotion Play-Off:
Lansdowne 29 UCC 6, Lansdowne Road
Scorers: Lansdowne: Tries: Penalty try, Fiachra Baynes, Aidan McCullen, Ian Hopkins; Cons: Felipe Contepomi 3; Pen: Contepomi
UCC: Pens: Jeremy Manning 2
Andy Doyle’s side staved off the chances of the Dublin 4 club’s second ever season in Division Two thanks a four-try performance at headquarters.
Lansdowne have not been out of the top flight since 1992/93 and they chalked up their first home league win since last November to remain in Division One.
Bolstered by Leinster contingent Felipe Contepomi, Aidan McCullen, John Lyne and Niall Ronan, they were comfortable winners despite the best efforts of UCC fly-half Jeremy Manning.
Former New Zealand schools fly-half Manning chipped over a brace of penalties from half-way on 5 and 12 minutes to raise the visitors’ hopes.
Lansdowne replied in kind with Contepomi dinking over a 22nd-minute penalty before they netted a controversial penalty try on the half-hour.
Argentinian international Contepomi converted before the Corkmen crucially lost a scrum in their own ’22 in first half injury-time.
The ball was quickly switched out to Fiachra Baynes and the winger touched down in the right corner for a 15-6 lead at the interval.
Five minutes after the restart McCullen crashed over the line and Contepomi converted in just his second outing in Lansdowne colours.
Left winger Ian Hopkins then made certain of the result with another try on 72 minutes.
UCC must now regroup for another trip to Dublin when they face St Mary’s College in next Saturday’s Division Two semi-finals.
Division Two Relegation/Promotion Play-Off:
Barnhall 25 Clonakilty 15, Parsontown
Scorers: Barnhall: Tries: Paul Burke, Andy Munn, Eoin Burke; Cons: Richie Gregg 2; Pen: Gregg; Drop: Gregg
Clonakilty: Tries: Paul Dillon, Gary Cribb; Con: Alfie Harte; Pen: Harte
Clonakilty’s shot at Division Two rugby next season fell short at Parsontown this afternoon as hosts Barnhall retained their status with a ten-point victory.
The Cork side’s hopes were severely dented in the first half as full-back and playmaker Derek Dillon was forced off through injury.
Barnhall fly-half Richie Gregg was outstanding, sending over an early penalty and then converting Paul Burke’s try.
Clon’s pack were unfortunate to be held up twice over the home line on 29 and 31 minutes, but the Corkmen did get in for a deserved try through centre Paul Dillon on 33 minutes.
Flanker Alfie Harte converted that effort and added a penalty in the fourth minute of injury-time to make it 10-10 at the break.
Barnhall stamped their authority on proceedings in the second half as Andy Munn and long-standing scrum-half Eoin Burke got in for tries either side of Clonakilty fly-half Gary Cribb’s 66th-minute effort.
Gregg converted one of the Kildare side’s tries and added a second half drop goal for good measure.
Clonakilty are back in action next weekend in a Division Three semi-final tie against Instonians.