Play-Off Challengers Mary’s Too Strong For UL
St. Mary’s College were never troubled in their 27-point defeat of UL Bohemians in AIB League Division 1A at Templeville Road on Saturday.
AIB LEAGUE: DIVISION 1A: Saturday, February 20
ST. MARY’S COLLEGE 39 UL BOHEMIANS 12, Templeville Road
Scorers: St. Mary’s College: Tries: Hugh Hogan 2, Robin Copeland, Mark Sexton, Richie Sweeney; Cons: Gavin Dunne 4; Pens: Gavin Dunne 2
UL Bohemians: Tries: Cian Aherne, Sean Henry; Con: Danny Riordan
The win ended Mary’s run of four straight league defeats and saw them leapfrog Dolphin into third place in the table.
The hosts led from the off thanks to a brace of early tries from team captain Hugh Hogan which paved the way for a 24-7 lead at the break.
Lock Robin Copeland, taking his league haul to eight tries, also got amongst the tries, along with Mark Sexton, brother of Leinster and Ireland’s Jonathan Sexton, and former Ireland Under-20 hooker Richie Sweeney.
In ideal conditions, Mary’s full-back Gavin Dunne had a pleasing day with the boot, kicking four conversions and two penalties to take his season’s tally to 78.
Cian Aherne kept the visitors in touch with a second half try but it was mere consolation for the division’s bottom side.
Their Dublin hosts were on top in all quarters and look back on track to mount a challenge for the play-offs.
ST. MARY’S COLLEGE: Gavin Dunne; Ronan Doherty, Stephen Grissing, Mark Sexton, Darragh Fanning; Shaun McCarthy, Conor McPhillips; Kevin Carroll, Gavin Hickie, Rob Sweeney, Gareth Logan, Robin Copeland, Damian Hall, Paul Nash, Hugh Hogan (capt).
Replacements: Jack McGrath, Richie Sweeney, Barry O’Flanagan, Philip Brophy, Stuart O’Flanagan.
UL BOHEMIANS: Danny Riordan; Martin McPhail, Giles Noland, Dave Moloney, Cian Aherne; Dan Kelly, Cathal Sherlock; Dave Kilcoyne, Eddie Rossiter, Pat O’Regan, Ed Kelly, Dave Foley, Kieran O’Gorman, John Ed O’Connor, Paul Grenell.
Replacements: Sean Henry, Mike Storey, Anthony Hartigan, Paul Rowley, Fergal Lawlor.
Referee: Alain Rolland (IRFU)