AIB League: ‘Tarf On Top In Dublin Derby

…Darragh O’Shea scoring a try for Clontarf in Saturday’s 35-20 win on the main pitch at Lansdowne Road. Full-back O’Shea turned in a man-of-the-match display, scoring 20 points – a try, three conversions and three penalties – for the north Dubliners…

Second half tries from Breffni O’Donnell, Derek Keane and Mark Hewitt saw Clontarf pull away from hosts Lansdowne for a 35-20 win. Cork Con, St Mary’s and UL Bohemians also won on Saturday.

AIB LEAGUE: DIVISION ONE: Saturday, January 7

Lansdowne 20 Clontarf 35, Lansdowne Road

Scorers: Lansdowne: Try: Fiachra Baynes; Pens: Corey Burt 5

Clontarf: Tries: Darragh O’Shea, Breffni O’Donnell, Derek Keane, Mark Hewitt; Cons: O’Shea 3; Pens: O’Shea

Clontarf picked up their fourth win and seventh bonus point of the AIB League season on the main pitch at Lansdowne Road.

‘Tarf barged past their Dublin rivals in the second half after the hosts had edged the opening period – 12-11.

‘Tarf full-back Darragh O’Shea, who ended the afternoon with a personal haul of 20 points, had slalomed in for the opening try on 22 minutes but four penalties from fly-half Corey Burt saw Lansdowne hit the front.

‘Tarf then went 25-12 up thanks to tries from Breffni O’Donnell and Derek Keane, who took his league tally to six, and although they leaked one at the other end to Lansdowne winger Fiachra Baynes, the north Dubliners bagged their fourth score late on when winger Mark Hewitt intercepted a Burt pass to scorch over.

Cork Constitution 49 Blackrock College 0, Temple Hill

Scorers: Cork Con: Tries: Cronan Healy 2, Brendan Cutriss, Tom Gleeson, Richard Lane, Frank Cogan, Tom Ryan; Cons: Darragh Lyons 4; Pens: Lyons 2

Blackrock: –

Cork Constitution were at their clincial best at Temple Hill as they whitewashed Blackrock in a seven-try mauling.

Con set up the win thanks to a 23-0 interval lead – a brace of tries from winger Cronan Healy (9, 30 minutes), which took his league tally to five, added to a 24th-minute score from flanker Brendan Cutriss saw the Leesiders hit the ground running.

Further efforts from centre Tom Gleeson (41 minutes), captain and number 8 Frank Cogan (46), prop Tom Ryan (47) and full-back Richard Lane (57) saw Con move out of sight. Fly-half Darragh Lyons kicked 14 points.

Galwegians 13 St Mary’s College 30, Crowley Park

Scorers: Galwegians: Try: Hugh Murphy; Con: Brendan Bartley; Pens: Bartley 2

St Mary’s: Tries: Mark Donnellan, Matt Duggan, Karl O’Brien, Jonathan Sexton; Cons: Sexton 2; Pen: Sexton; Drop: Sexton

St Mary’s College ran in four tries for a well-carved out bonus point win at Galwegians.

Mary’s classier back line did most of the damage against a ‘Wegians side which contained Connacht scrum-half Tom Tierney, who was sin-binned for deliberate interference in the first half, and lock Andrew Gallagher.

The Dubliners turned around with a 22-10 lead after tries from back row Mark Donnellan, hooker Matty Duggan and impressive young fly-half Jonathan Sexton.

Hugh Murphy bagged a seven-pointer for the hosts on 29 minutes, but Tierney was sin-binned just before Ireland Under-21 Sexton’s score for deliberate spoiling a Mary’s move right on the ‘Wegians try line.

Brendan Bartley struck his second penalty for ‘Wegians, five minutes into the second half, but Mary’s were too good, particularly winger James Norton, who was a very effective ball carrier for the visitors.

A Sexton drop goal, ten minutes from time, and a subsequent try from replacement winger Karl O’Brien confirmed the result.

UL Bohemians 31 UCD 23, Thomond Park

Scorers: UL Bohs: Tries: Ben Martin 2, Coleman Finn, Cathal Garvey; Cons: Martin 4; Pen: Martin

UCD: Tries: Ross McCarron, Eoghan Hickey; Cons: Hickey 2; Pens: Hickey 3

Australian Ben Martin ran the show at Thomond Park as he scored two tries in Bohs’ second successive Division One win.

The Limerick men moved up eighth in the standings after they pulled clear of UCD in the second half – the first period had ended 14-all.

Tries from Ross McCarron and Eoghan Hickey, both converted by the latter, gave the visitors every hope of recording their third straight league victory.

However, Martin garnered a penalty and a converted try, his second of the afternoon, early in the second half and captain and centre Coleman Finn’s try on 70 minutes ended UCD’s fight for a losing bonus point.