AIB League Central: Monahan Tops Try Table
Shane Monahan, a Grand Slam winner with the Ireland Under-20s in 2007, moved to the top of the try-scoring charts in Division One last Saturday when he touched down twice in Blackrock College’s 19-15 defeat away to Dolphin.
The two tries took Monahan’s tally for the current league campaign to eight, with Ciaran O’Boyle, whose match with Garryowen was abandoned at half-time, his closest rival on six.
Cork Constitution’s Richie Lane and Ballymena duo Tommy Seymour and Jamie Smith are next up with five tries each.
In Division Two, Lansdowne’s South African import Charl Oosthuizen still leads the way in both the points-scoring and try-scoring stakes. He kicked two penalties to secure a 6-0 win over Bruff at the RDS last weekend.
Oosthuizen has 107 league points to his name now. His six-try tally is currently being matched by Ballynahinch’s Aaron Ferris.
‘Ferris’ club-mate Ryan Bambry (70 points), ‘Hinch’s New Zealand number 10, is closest to Oosthuizen in the points-scoring stakes.
Queen’s University scrum half Ian Porter is top of the points-scoring pile in Division Three. He kicked four penalties and two conversions in last Saturday’s 26-15 comeback win at Connemara to boost his season’s haul to 105 points.
Midleton’s Jeff Hitchmough, who is in second place with 99 points, accounted for a try, a penalty and two conversions in the Cork side’s 22-0 home win over Corinthians.
Alan Thompson of Old Wesley is the joint-top try scorer in the third tier with five touchdowns. Naas winger Henry Bryce has joined him at the summit, following his effort against Portadown.
There is a growing list of players on four tries each – Hitchmough and Queen’s University trio David Colvin, David McIlwaine and Jonny Shiels.