Energia Men’s All-Ireland League: Division 1A Round 11 Review
Clontarf were in bonus point-winning form today as they moved five points clear at the top of Division 1A ©INPHO/Tom Maher
The D’Arcy twins, Matt and Adrian, both scored tries as Energia All-Ireland League Division 1A leaders Clontarf ran out convincing 23-9 winners over Dublin University at College Park.
Energia Men’s All-Ireland League: Results Round-Up
Aran Egan, Trinity’s scoring star against UCC last week, landed three penalties but they found scores hard to come by against Andy Wood’s power-packed team.
Clontarf captain Matt D’Arcy ripped the ball away in a tackle, inside his own half, and embarked on a lung-busting run to register a second-minute try, converted by Leinster’s David Hawkshaw.
A knock-on near the try-line foiled Trinity as they failed to take advantage of the subsequent sin-binning of ‘Tarf flanker Martin Moloney.
Instead, while the students’ Leinster Academy hooker Lee Barron was in the bin, ‘Tarf skipper D’Arcy’s well-judged kick was chased down by winger Cian O’Donoghue for a 28th-minute try.
Egan clawed it back to 12-3 at the break, and after Trinity had a try ruled out on the resumption, another penalty from the young out-half cut the gap to just six points in the 52nd minute.
Hawkshaw coolly cancelled out Egan’s latest kick, four minutes later, and Clontarf were able to strike again when a try-scoring opportunity presented itself.
After Alex Soroka blocked down an attempted clearance, the visitors piled on the pressure. Despite losing Michael Courtney to the bin, Matt D’Arcy managed to release his sibling Adrian for a result-sealing try with 12 minutes remaining.
Hawkshaw and Egan swapped further penalties during the final minutes, but Clontarf were already assured of their sixth win on the trot, which has them five points clear at the summit.
Garryowen claimed the result of the day when ending their six-match losing streak, as they battled past local rivals Young Munster on a 31-24 scoreline.
Mike Sherry’s men also earned a deserved try-scoring bonus point thanks to two scores from Colm Quilligan and one each from Munster scrum half Neil Cronin and Bryan Fitzgerald.
Munster Academy out-half Tony Butler pulled the strings for the Light Blues by having a hand in three of the tries and kicking 11 points from the tee.
Young Munster took a 13-10 lead into the second half, in front of a large Dooradoyle crowd. A Butler grubber kick was brilliantly finished off by winger Quilligan for an 11th-minute try.
Ennis youngster Butler nailed the touchline conversion, before Evan Cusack responded with a 45-metre penalty, punishing the hosts for not rolling away.
Butler kicked Garryowen back in front on the half hour mark, but Munsters seized the initiative as half-time approached. They were held up before Butler’s goal-line drop-out was blocked down by David Begley and Sean Rennison knocked on.
From the resulting five-metre scrum, the Cookies’ stand-in captain Dan Walsh powered over for their first try. Cusack converted and tagged on a late penalty for a sudden three-point advantage.
Impressively, Garryowen were quickest out of the blocks again when play resumed. 11 minutes in, Rennison freed his arms in a tackle and sent Cronin speeding away to score under the posts.
Munsters appealed for a knock on but the try was given and converted by Butler, making it 17-13. Cusack hit back with a penalty, only for a pinpoint cross-field kick to set up Quilligan’s second try soon after.
Butler added the extras and then released a flat pass on the 10-metre line, picking out a superb line from centre Fitzgerald who raced through to score at the posts. Butler’s conversion put 15 points between the sides.
Walsh’s second try gave the Cookies hope of a comeback, but they had to settle for a losing bonus point when Cusack kicked a late penalty to complete his 14-point haul.
Elsewhere, James Ryan’s younger brother David scored the match-winning try in UCD’s exciting 32-27 defeat of 14-man Lansdowne.
The students turned over the division’s second-placed side in Belfield, aided by a brace of tries from Munster scrum half Paddy Patterson and the impact of Leinster duo Tommy O’Brien and Scott Penny.
It was a tough day at the office for Lansdowne who, after scoring a first-minute try, fell foul of referee Stuart Gaffikin’s whistle and endured two early sin-binnings, including one for ex-Ulster flanker Clive Ross.
Patterson and Bobby Sheehan crossed to give UCD a 17-7 half-time lead, with Lansdowne having to regroup after winger Liam O’Sullivan’s 37th-minute red card for taking out Jack Ringrose in the air.
The headquarters club showed plenty of character and resilience, edging into a 24-22 lead thanks to tries from Dan Murphy and replacement Ruairi Clarke, along with a 69th-minute penalty from Charlie Tector.
However, losing Jack Dwan to injury was another big blow for Lansdowne, and James Tarrant kicked Kevin Croke’s youngsters back in front before winger Ryan raced through for a 76th-minute match winner.
Tarrant and Tector both finished with 12 points from the tee, the latter splitting the posts right at the death for a losing bonus point. UCD’s first triumph in six rounds has increased their cushion over the bottom two to 12 points.
Ballynahinch went close to recording their first win of the league campaign, but Terenure College took a 27-23 verdict thanks to a hat-trick of tries from former Connacht back Colm de Buitléar.
Ever-reliable out-half Greg Hutley fired over a trio of penalties, giving Ballynahinch a 9-8 advantage at the break.
Centre de Buitléar had quietened the Ballymacarn Park faithful with the first half’s lone try, following an initial break by former ‘Hinch back rower Conall Boomer and great hands from skipper Harrison Brewer.
In-form Terenure turned up the heat during the third quarter, de Buitléar crossing again in the 45th minute and then Jordan Coghlan thundered through a gap to send Craig Adams over for his eighth try of the campaign.
The Dubliners bagged their bonus point on the hour mark, a well-executed maul teeing up de Buitléar from close range. The result has moved Sean Skehan’s side up to third place.
‘Hinch fought back in brilliant fashion, replacement Rory Butler providing the inspiration with a quick-fire brace of tries. It was enough for a losing bonus point  which lifts them off the bottom of the table.
UCC now sit in the tenth place following a 24-7 derby defeat to Cork Constitution at Temple Hill. A late Jack Kelleher effort came in response to tries from Con’s Sean French, Max Abbott and David Hyland.