AIB League: Kilroy Excels For Garryowen

Conor Kilroy in action for former club Blackrock College

Winger Conor Kilroy was in excellent kicking form on Saturday as he landed three penalties and converted all five of Garryowen’s tries in their 44-6 demolition of Dublin University.

AIB LEAGUE: DIVISION ONE: Saturday, November 5

Garryowen 44 Dublin University 6, Dooradoyle

Scorers: Garryowen: Tries: Ciaran O’Boyle 2, Cillian O’Boyle, Anthony Kavanagh, Paul Neville; Cons: Conor Kilroy 5; Pens: Kilroy 3

Paul Cunningham’s side leapfrogged Cork Constitution into second in Division One – thanks to their first bonus point win – as Kilroy failed to miss a place kick at Dooradoyle.

The visitors did lead 6-0 as the first half neared its end. Fly-half Donal Crotty (16 minutes) and his replacement Johnny Watt (30) both clipped over penalties.

Garryowen, who started with Munster’s Rob Henderson at inside centre, were back level by half-time, however. Kilroy slotted a brace of penalties on 36 and 42 minutes from the left and right flanks.

The try-blitz started seven minutes into the second half when flanker Anthony Kavanagh was on the end of a backline move out right. Kilroy converted and kicked a third penalty before scrum-half Cillian O’Boyle touched down.

O’Boyle’s 21-year-old twin brother, Ciaran, then bagged two late tries as flanker Paul Neville topped off the scoring in injury-time with Garryowen’s fifth. Kilroy converted each try from all angles for a stunning 19-point haul.

Dublin University, who sit second-from-bottom, are back in league action on Friday in the 54th Annual Colours clash with UCD at Donnybrook (6.30pm).

Garryowen: A Finn; C Kilroy, K Hartigan (A O’Loughlin), R Henderson, Ciaran O’Boyle; C Doyle, Cillian O’Boyle; R Callaghan, D Varley (P Humphreys), F Paleumo, E Mackey, D Sheehan, P Neville, A Kavanagh, P Malone (capt).

Dublin University: P Howard; S Hanraty, G Byron, B Hastings (J Watt), C Donohoe; D Crotty, M Darcy; N Conlon (K O’Neill), M Crockett (capt), P Doran-Jones, R Morrow, M Warburton (G Herrera), P Rowe, R White, H Hogan.

Referee: Alistair McKay (IRFU)

Clontarf 27 Ballymena 17, Castle Avenue

Scorers: Clontarf: Tries: Derek Keane, Jacob Ellison, Niall O’Brien, Peter O’Brien; Cons: Peter O’Brien 2; Pen: Peter O’Brien

Ballymena: Tries: David O’Hara, Andrew Spence, Michael McComish; Con: Dirkie Strydom

Ballymena are the only side left in the AIB League yet to register a point as they sit rooted to the bottom of Division One after their fourth consecutive win.

Clontarf dominated, scoring four tries to grab their fifth bonus point in four games and move up to fourth in the standings.

The home side were 15-0 up after only 25 minutes. Winger Derek Keane blazed through to score his fifth try of the campaign and Kiwi flanker Jacob Ellison also touched down. Fly-half Peter O’Brien tagged on a conversion and penalty.

The Braidmen, who beat ‘Tarf 28-18 in the 2003 final, came back into it on 32 minutes when scrum-half David O’Hara eluded the cover to race over by the posts. Full-back Dirkie Strydom made it a seven-pointer, but tries from centre Niall O’Brien and fly-half Peter O’Brien, who converted his own 38th-minute effort, pushed Phil Werahiko’s ‘Tarf side into an unassailable 27-7 half-time lead.

Just as they did for O’Hara’s try, Ballymena managed to hit back immediately as winger Andrew Spence wasted little time after the restart in touching down.

Strydom missed the conversion and ‘Tarf’s pack bossed the latter stages as the Braidmen struggled to add to their points tally. They got within ten in the third minute of injury-time when number eight and Ireland Sevens international Michael McComish crashed over from a mual drive in the right corner for an unconverted try.

Clontarf: D O’Shea; M Rantz-McDonald, N O’Brien, B O’Donnell, D Keane; P O’Brien, F O’Loughlin; K Dorian (A Clarke 55), N Carson, R Sweeney, A Wood (A Trenier 77), J Duffy, M Coetzer (D Ffrench 65), J Ellison, P Purdue.

Ballymena: D Strydom; A Spence, J McGruggan, S Stewart, S Young; A Larkin, D O’Hara (B Clements 72); A Kirkpatrick, I Campbell (R Kernhan 70), S Shaw, H Head, R Young, A Graham (J Taggart 60), B Hughes (I Caldwell 55), M McComish.

Referee: S Dickinson (IRFU)