AIB League: Division Two Round-Up

Division Two strugglers Malone won their basement battle with Waterpark on Saturday. Meanwhile, Terenure College moved three points clear at the top after a 34-8 win at Bective.

AIB LEAGUE: DIVISION TWO: Saturday, January 14

– RESULTS –

Bective Rangers 8 Terenure College 34, Donnybrook; De La Salle Palmerston 25 Old Belvedere 9, Kilternan; Dolphin 42 Ballynahinch 17, Musgrave Park; Midleton 18 Old Crescent 7, Towns Park; Thomond 32 Highfield 13, Liam Fitzgerald Park; UCC 34 Greystones 3, The Mardyke; Waterpark 13 Malone 19, Ballinakill; Young Munster 18 Barnhall 3, Tom Clifford Park

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Malone claimed only their second win of the league season – beating Waterpark 19-13 at Ballinakill – to move five points clear of Saturday’s hosts at the bottom of the table.

The game hung in the balance until inside centre Richard Fegan managed to score a 78th-minute try and pull Malone clear. The Belfast side took the lead on 35 minutes when full-back Johnny Amos was put in for a try by Rhys Botha. Scrum half Phil Coulter converted.

Waterpark number 8 John Phelan powered over for a try shortly before the break which Scott Leighton converted. Malone replied with an unconverted try from Simon Bailie, and although Leighton then landed two penalties – the first from 50 metres – for a 13-12 lead, Fegan struck late on with Coulter slotting the conversion.

Fresh from scoring two tries in Munster’s vital Heineken Cup win in Castres on Friday, scrum half Tomas O’Leary lined out for Dolphin on Saturday afternoon. And the son of former Cork hurler Seanie O’Leary scored another try to help the Cork side to a five-try 42-17 win over Ballynahinch.

The Musgrave Park success sees Dolphin remain in third, but with Terenure just five points ahead of them, they do have a valuable game in hand. Having trailed by 17-9 at the interval, O’Leary, James Coughlan (3) and Colin Healy all scored tries in a devastating Dolphin display in the second half.

Leinster fly half Dave McAllister was man-of-the-match in Terenure’s win at Bective Rangers. He scored a try and kicked four conversions and two penalties in the five-try win. Number 8 Alex Dunlop, flanker Peter O’Malley and replacement prop Niall McCann also touched down for ‘Nure.

Both McAllister and Dunlop will line out for Leinster ‘A’ in Tuesday’s clash with the Ireland Under-21s at Donnybrook.

Munster’s South African winger Anthon Pitout made his debut for Young Munster in their 18-3 win against Barnhall on Saturday. Tries from Mike Lynch and Kieran Horan, plus two penalties and a conversion from Mark Connolly did the damage for the Tony Grant-coached Munsters.

There were also home wins for De La Salle Palmerston, Midleton and Thomond.