Top Scorer Wilkinson Points The Way For #EnergiaAIL Leaders Old Belvedere
Out-half David Wilkinson's reliable goal-kicking has helped Old Belvedere to reach Division 1A's summit ©Ronan Ryan
David Wilkinson’s accuracy from the kicking tee has been a key factor in Old Belvedere’s excellent start to the season. He is the leading points scorer in Energia All-Ireland League Men’s Division 1A after the opening two rounds.
On their return to the top flight, Old Belvedere have beaten both Nenagh Ormond (23-13) and Ballynahinch (32-17) so far, with out-half Wilkinson contributing 25 points from 10 successful place-kicks out of 12.
His left boot made its mark at home last Saturday, as after Ballynahinch had taken a 17-14 lead, he converted Ryan McMahon’s second try and fired over two important penalties, both from 40 or more metres out.
Close behind Wilkinson are St. Mary’s College centre Mick O’Gara (22 points), Munster Academy out-half Dylan Hicks, who has tallied up 21 points for Cork Constitution, and UCD’s Paddy Clancy (18).
Wilkinson and O’Gara are set to duel it out in Saturday’s top of the table clash at Templeville Road. St. Mary’s are fresh from winning 15-8 at Young Munster, a game in which Bray man O’Gara crossed the whitewash and kicked five points.
The 20-year-old Hicks supplied 17 points – made up of a Rob Hedderman-inspired intercept try and six conversions – when Cork Con swept past Terenure College, winning their second round encounter by a clear margin (42-14).
UCD opened their win account against Nenagh Ormond, with number 10 Clancy kicking 13 points, the highlight of which was a penalty from the halfway line. With 15 points so far, Conor McMahon from Division 1A newcomers Nenagh is only just behind him.
Meanwhile, the league’s first fortnight has seen Young Munster winger Hubert Gilvarry (pictured below), former Ballynahinch captain Bradley Luney, and UCD’s teenage full-back Charlie Molony, a current Ireland Under-20 international, score three tries each.
It was a big weekend for front rowers as Clontarf skipper Dylan Donnellan doubled his season’s haul to two tries, while Cork Con’s Danny Sheahan, another of the provincial Academy players on show, did likewise.
In addition, Old Belvedere prop Ryan McMahon touched down twice against ‘Hinch, and there were three maul scores shared out between UCD hooker Lucas Maguire and his replacement Duinn Maguire (2).
ENERGIA ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE MEN’S DIVISION 1A – TOP SCORERS AFTER ROUND 2:
POINTS –
25 – David Wilkinson (Old Belvedere)
22 – Mick O’Gara (St. Mary’s College)
21 – Dylan Hicks (Cork Constitution)
18 – Paddy Clancy (UCD)
15 – Hubert Gilvarry (Young Munster), Bradley Luney (Ballynahinch), Conor McMahon (Nenagh Ormond), Charlie Molony (UCD)
13 – Julian Leszczynski (Terenure College)
12 – Stephen Madigan (Lansdowne), Conor Rankin (Ballynahinch)
10 – Dylan Donnellan (Clontarf), Jack Kelleher (Cork Constitution), Todd Lawlor (Lansdowne), Duinn Maguire (UCD), Dan Martin (Terenure College), Ryan McMahon (Old Belvedere), Danny Sheahan (Cork Constitution), Bobby Sheehan (Lansdowne), Ruairi Shields (St. Mary’s College)
9 – Conor Kelly (Clontarf)
8 – Kelvin Langan (Young Munster)
7 – James Tarrant (Lansdowne)
5 – Declan Adamson (Clontarf), Paul Allen (Young Munster), Cian Barry (Cork Constitution), Mark Best (Ballynahinch), Angus Blackmore (Nenagh Ormond), Matthew Booth (Ballynahinch), Matthew Bowen (Cork Constitution), Mark Canniffe (UCD), Myles Carey (St. Mary’s College), Derek Corcoran (Nenagh Ormond), Pierce Crowe (Ballynahinch), Griffin Culver (Terenure College), Sean Duffy (Cork Constitution), Aran Egan (Terenure College), Christian Foley (Young Munster), Daniel Hurley (UCD), Peter Hyland (Cork Constitution), Lucas Maguire (UCD), Peter Maher (Clontarf), Tom McAllister (Ballynahinch), Shay McCarthy (Young Munster), Oisin McCormack (Terenure College), Will McDonald (Old Belvedere), Luke McLaughlin (Old Belvedere), Morgan Meredith (Old Belvedere), Claytan Milligan (Ballynahinch), Dylan Murphy (Nenagh Ormond), Jack Nelson Murray (St. Mary’s College), John O’Flaherty (Nenagh Ormond), Ross O’Neill (Lansdowne), Tom O’Reilly (St. Mary’s College), Stephen Ryan (Clontarf), Joe White (Old Belvedere)
3 – George Coomber (Cork Constitution), Shane O’Leary (Young Munster)
2 – Daragh Gilbourne (UCD)
TRIES –
3 – Hubert Gilvarry (Young Munster), Bradley Luney (Ballynahinch), Charlie Molony (UCD)
2 – Dylan Donnellan (Clontarf), Jack Kelleher (Cork Constitution), Todd Lawlor (Lansdowne), Duinn Maguire (UCD), Dan Martin (Terenure College), Ryan McMahon (Old Belvedere), Danny Sheahan (Cork Constitution), Bobby Sheehan (Lansdowne), Ruairi Shields (St. Mary’s College)
1 – Declan Adamson (Clontarf), Paul Allen (Young Munster), Cian Barry (Cork Constitution), Mark Best (Ballynahinch), Angus Blackmore (Nenagh Ormond), Matthew Booth (Ballynahinch), Matthew Bowen (Cork Constitution), Mark Canniffe (UCD), Myles Carey (St. Mary’s College), Derek Corcoran (Nenagh Ormond), Pierce Crowe (Ballynahinch), Griffin Culver (Terenure College), Sean Duffy (Cork Constitution), Aran Egan (Terenure College), Christian Foley (Young Munster), Dylan Hicks (Cork Constitution), Daniel Hurley (UCD), Peter Hyland (Cork Constitution), Lucas Maguire (UCD), Peter Maher (Clontarf), Tom McAllister (Ballynahinch), Shay McCarthy (Young Munster), Oisin McCormack (Terenure College), Will McDonald (Old Belvedere), Luke McLaughlin (Old Belvedere), Morgan Meredith (Old Belvedere), Claytan Milligan (Ballynahinch), Dylan Murphy (Nenagh Ormond), Jack Nelson Murray (St. Mary’s College), John O’Flaherty (Nenagh Ormond), Mick O’Gara (St. Mary’s College), Ross O’Neill (Lansdowne), Tom O’Reilly (St. Mary’s College), Stephen Ryan (Clontarf), Joe White (Old Belvedere)
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