AIB Cup: Second Round Review

Click here for the full results from the AIB Cup’s second round.

UL Bohs were admittedly short several regulars, but Belfast Harlequins owned the second half as they romped to a comfortable win in round two of the AIB Cup.

John Mills for Harlequins and Fergal Lawlor for UL Bohemians exchanged first half penalties in an even affair which suggest a close finish.

But five minutes into the second half, powerful prop Alatise Ale had a ‘Quins try which Mills converted.

Once in front, the Belfast outfit forced UL into making many errors and they paid for their indiscipline when Mills put over penalties in the 70th and 75th minutes to effectively end the game as a contest.

But “Quins were not finished and two minutes from the end, Colm Atkinson charged in for a try that Mills again converted to continue the miserable start to their season for Bohs.

Buccaneers’ AIB Cup charge fell at the first hurdle as Shannon won an eleven-try thriller at Corbally, powering to a 49-26 success.

Shannon led 20-14 at the interval but found themselves a point behind early in the second half.

Limerick Gaelic footballer Stephen Kelly had a great outing by scoring three tries and Andrew Finn touched down twice.

Neither side is enjoying the best of form so far this season and this win, and the manner in which it was achieved, will be pleasing to Shannon coach Colm Tucker.

Les Hogan and Eoghan Grace also had tries for the winners, while David O’Donovan converted four of the hosts’ tries and also kicked two penalties.

Buccaneers had tries from Stephen Burke, Padraig Burke, Paul Harte and Ian Kilbride, with Adam Kennedy converting three of the four touchdowns.

Meanwhile, Clontarf, and former Ireland Under-20 international Martin Dufficy in particular, ran riot when destroying Old Crrescent by 50-5 in Saturday’s AIB Cup second round clash at Rosbrien.

Dufficy scored three tries and and landed five conversions while Phil Howard also had two tries in an eight-try blitz.

Eoin Cremin, Martin Garvey and Ciaran McKeown were the other try scorers for ‘Tarf, who will proceed to the third round with great confidence.

Gaining some consolation, Old Crescent notched a Paddy Carroll try in the last minute.

At Liam Fitzgerald Park, Ger Finucane kicked five penalties for Thomond but it was not enough against a lively UCD side who ran out 21-15 winners.

Noel Reid and Andy Cummiskey scored tries for UCD who had three penalties from Niall Earls and a conversion by Reid.

Elsewhere, defending champions Ballynahinch fell to a 18-16 defeat to Cork Constitution in a repeat of last season’s final, while Queen’s University claimed the notable scalp of Dungannon whom they beat 31-23 at Stevenson Park.