AIB League: Division Three Round-Up

Clonakilty, one of only four teams left in the AIB League with a 100% record, are still top of Division Three. Last Saturday saw the Cork men run in six tries against Ards for a 36-6 home win.

AIB LEAGUE: DIVISION THREE: Saturday, December 10

– RESULTS –

Banbridge 6 Bruff 6, Rifle Park
Clonakilty 36 Ards 6, Shannonvale Cross
Corinthians 31 Old Wesley 26, Corinthian Park
Instonians 31 Connemara 3, Shaws Bridge
Portadown 23 Sundays Well 9, Chambers Park
Queen’s University 13 Nenagh Ormond 15, Dub Lane
Skerries 10 City of Derry 26, Holmpatrick
Wanderers 12 Suttonians 15, Lansdowne Road

Clonakilty scored five unanswered tries in the second half to hand Ards a lesson in finishing at Shannonvale Cross.

Ards full-back Ajay Derwin clipped over two penalties to sandwich Clon’s opening try from their own full-back Derek Dillon, and help the visitors into a 6-5 half-time lead.

Ards manager Robin Johnston credited Clon’s revival in the second half to replacement scrum half Colin Murphy as he played a pivotal role in getting the home backline into gear. Right winger John O’Donnell, who scored three tries in all, helped the Cork men in front with his first try shortly after the restart.

Midway through the half, left winger Noel O’Sullivan made the left corner to score and allow Gary Cribb to convert. O’Donnell sliced through the visitors’ defence for the bonus point try, Alfie Harte crashed over for Clon’s fifth before O’Donnell completed his hat-trick.

Second-placed Instonians kept the heat on Clon by beating Connemara 31-3 at Shaws Bridge. The Galway side’s only reward for a decent effort was a penalty from Eamonn Molloy shortly after half-time.

Inst eeked out their dominance after hooker Dave Evans had got in for the home side’s first try on 20 minutes. A rolling maul saw him cross the Connemara whitewash. The Belfast side’s scrum half David Brownrigg made it two on the cusp of half-time as Inst led 12-0 at the break.

Molloy then reduced the deficit, but tries from centres Hayden Swift and Mark Broome and left winger Andrew Hassard saw Inst really cut loose in the final quarter.

City of Derry earned just their second win of the season as tries from Amos Ioasa, Paul McKillop and Stephen Smith helped them past Skerries – 10-26. There was no separating hosts Banbridge and Bruff at Rifle Park – a penalty from scrum half Neville Farr and a drop goal by his half-back partner Albert Finney were cancelled out by two penalties from the boot of Bruff number 10 Brian Carroll for a 6-6 full-time score.

At Dub Lane, Queen’s managed to cough up a 13-3 lead as gallant Nenagh Ormond came from behind to win 15-13 and move up to fourth in the standings. Queen’s lock Thomas Anderson – the son of former Ireland international Willie Anderson – scored the game’s only try on 49 minutes but four penalties from Nenagh fly-half John Keenan, who had given the Nenagh the lead with his first kick on 12 minues, saw the Tipperary side come from behind for their fourth win of the league campaign.

Meanwhile, it was celebration time at Chambers Park on Saturday as Portadown finally picked up their first win of the season. The Ports beat Sundays Well 23-9 to move off the bottom rung of Division Three. Johnny Lynch hit three penalties for Well but his contribution was dwarfed by tries from young winger Wayne Kelly and flanker Richard Johnston for Portadown. Fly-half Colin Lawson struck three penalties and converted both tries for a 13-point haul.