Old Belvedere and UCD are setting the early pace in Division 1A after both made it two bonus-point victories from two, while defending champions St Mary’s College also maintained their winning start.
Belvedere followed up their impressive opening round victory over Young Munster with another emphatic display, defeating Ballynahinch 56-10 at Ollie Campbell Park. Robbie Russell completed a hat-trick, including two late tries, while Jayden Beckett crossed twice inside the opening nine minutes.
Sam Wisniewski also scored a brace and kicked five conversions, with a penalty try completing an eight-try afternoon for the hosts. Ballynahinch briefly interrupted Belvedere’s early momentum through Aaron Sexton, who scored both of their tries, but the hosts had already built a commanding 35-10 advantage by half-time before adding another 21 unanswered points after the restart.
UCD are alongside Belvedere on ten points after an impressive 43-26 victory over Lansdowne at the UCD Bowl. Maxim Aschenbrenner and Charlie Molony both crossed twice for the students, who led 24-14 at the interval.
Lansdowne stayed in the contest through tries from David Walsh, Hardus Van Eeden, Juan Beukes and Daniel Hurley, but Paddy Clancy’s accuracy from the tee proved crucial. The UCD out-half converted all four tries and landed five penalties for a 23-point personal haul, taking his tally to 37 points after the opening two rounds.
St Mary’s College continued their successful start to their title defence with a 36-31 victory over Clontarf at Templeville Road. Mick O’Gara kicked two early penalties before tries from Richie Bergin and Conor Pierce helped Mary’s establish control, with Dan Goggin crossing in first-half stoppage time to send the champions into the break leading 33-14.
Clontarf mounted a determined response after the interval. Oisin McCormack crossed shortly after the restart and Dylan Donnellan added two further tries to complete his hat-trick, having also scored in the opening quarter. O’Gara’s fifth penalty of the afternoon proved valuable, however, as Mary’s held on for their second victory.
Old Wesley picked up their first win of the campaign following a thrilling 36-33 contest with Cork Constitution at Energia Park. Paidi Farrell crossed twice for Wesley, with Andrew Doyle, Ben Guerin and Kristian Jensen also touching down.
Cork Con responded with five tries of their own, including a Johnny Murphy double, and the sides remained locked in a tight battle late into proceedings. Tom Larke ultimately supplied the decisive score, landing a 79th-minute penalty to edge Wesley in front, and give them their first top flight victory in over 29 years.
Young Munster also opened their account in dramatic fashion, defeating Terenure College 21-17 at Lakelands Park. Tom Waters crossed twice for the visitors as the sides went into half-time level at 14-14. An Aran Egan penalty edged Terenure ahead in the second half, but the decisive moment arrived in the 78th minute when Young Munster were awarded a penalty try to snatch the victory.
Nenagh Ormond and Blackrock College are the early pacesetters in Division 1B, both moving to nine points after maintaining their unbeaten starts.
Nenagh made it two wins from two with a 31-21 success against Naas at New Ormond Park. Patrick Scully made a major impact after his early introduction, crossing twice, while Conor McMahon and Robbie Tynan also touched down as Nenagh established a 17-7 interval advantage.
Naas responded after the break through Donal Conroy and Muiris Cleary, but Matthew Brice’s 69th minute try secured the bonus point for Nenagh and ensured they remained at the summit.
Blackrock also continued their winning start by overcoming UCC 31-26 at the Mardyke. Thomas Quinn and Jack Deegan gave the visitors an early platform before Gene O’Leary Kareem responded for UCC just before the interval.
Daniel Murphy brought the hosts closer after the restart, but tries from James Burke and Harry Waters restored Blackrock’s advantage. UCC finished strongly through Daniel Rock and Dylan Mullen, collecting two bonus points for their efforts, but Tim Corkery’s contribution from the tee helped Blackrock hold on.
Dublin University recorded their first victory of the season in emphatic fashion, beating Garryowen 46-22 at College Park. Garryowen struck first through Lachlan Pheely, but Trinity took control as Hugo Lynch and Mark Walsh crossed before half-time.
Harry O’Neill added another immediately after the restart before Cory O’Connor, Artur Smykovskiy and Jack O’Neill completed a six-try performance for the students.
Highfield were also first time winners this season, returning from Shaw’s Bridge with a 24-7 victory over Instonians. David McCarthy and Travis Coomey established a 12-0 half-time advantage before Nicky Greene crossed twice in the second period to wrap up the bonus point.
There was considerably less between MU Barnhall and City of Armagh at Parsonstown, where the hosts prevailed 23-22. Neil Byrne’s kicking proved crucial, his three penalties complementing tries from Dylan Bruton and Oisin O’Neill.
Armagh scored four tries and gave themselves a final opportunity when Owen O’Kane crossed in stoppage time, but Barnhall held on by the narrowest of margins.
Cashel and Galway Corinthians have both taken the maximum ten points from their opening two Division 2A assignments.
Cashel made it successive six-try performances with a 36-29 victory away to Queen’s University at The Dub. Queen’s struck first through Conor Magee, but Cashel responded through Philly Ryan and Alan Flannery before Ryan’s second try helped the visitors establish a 17-12 half-time advantage.
The students came back strongly after the interval through Patrick Woods and Billy Allen, but Cashel found another gear late on. Flannery completed his double before Ben Twomey crossed in the 79th minute to make sure of the bonus point.
Corinthians also remain perfect following a 26-19 victory away to Greystones. The Galway side led 14-5 at the interval after tries from Sean Walsh and Mark Boyle, but Greystones remained firmly in the contest and Jack O’Brien completed a double during the second half.
Tadhg Johnston’s 72nd-minute try restored Corinthians’ advantage before Dominic Williams crossed six minutes into stoppage time, securing the bonus point and keeping them level with Cashel at the top.
Dungannon sit just a point behind the leading pair following a 31-25 victory over Wanderers at Merrion Road. Sam Montgomery and Peter Nelson crossed in the opening half as Dungannon led 17-14 at the break.
Wanderers responded through Louis McDonough shortly after the restart, but Dungannon recovered, with replacement James McCammon crossing before James Girvan’s late try sealed their second victory of the season.
Ballymena also made it two wins from two after edging UL Bohemian 31-28 in Limerick. The visitors led 24-14 at half-time, but UL Bohs fought back after the restart before Ballymena held on to join Dungannon on nine points.
Shannon produced one of the weekend’s most dramatic finishes at Crowley Park. Trailing Galwegians late on, Peter Dougan crossed four minutes into stoppage time to secure a 25-19 victory and Shannon’s first win of the campaign.
The early picture in Division 2B North could hardly be tighter, with Clogher Valley, Malone, Ballyclare, Skerries and newly-promoted Enniskillen all collecting ten points from their opening two matches.
Clogher Valley followed their opening-round victory with a 38-17 success away to Navan. Callum Smyton crossed twice, with David Stinson, Taine Haire and Philip Wilson also touching down alongside a penalty try. Clogher held a 17-10 advantage at half-time before pulling clear after the restart.
Malone produced an impressive road performance to defeat Sligo 36-7 at Hamilton Park. The visitors held a 14-0 advantage at the interval before Sam Green took centre stage in the second half, completing a hat-trick with his third score arriving in stoppage time.
Ballyclare are also perfect after a 36-12 win against Rainey at Hatrick Park. They made a flying start, with Jacob Scarlett, Matthew Coulter and Adam Campbell all crossing inside the opening 11 minutes. Mark Jackson added the bonus-point score before the interval, while Scarlett completed his double late on.
Skerries had to work considerably harder for their second victory, overturning a 19-17 half-time deficit to beat Banbridge 31-26 at Rifle Park. Peter O’Neill, James Brennan and Rob McKey supplied their first-half tries before Michael Sherlock and Ronan Mulcahy crossed after the break to secure another maximum return.
Enniskillen’s dream introduction to Energia AIL rugby continued as they backed up their historic opening-day success with a 31-19 victory away to Malahide.
The foundations for the victory were laid during a superb opening 40 minutes. Sam Balfour crossed after 14 minutes and Harry Ingram followed seven minutes later before Henry Keys added their third. Eddie Keys then crossed for the bonus-point try, having already added a penalty, and converted all four tries as Enniskillen remarkably had all 31 of their points on the board by half-time.
Malahide responded through Christian Miller, Daniel Hayes and a penalty try after the break, but Enniskillen had already done enough to make it two bonus-point victories from their first two matches at this level.
Clonmel and Old Crescent are the sides to catch in Division 2B South after both maintained their winning starts.
Clonmel produced another impressive attacking display in a 43-21 victory over Dolphin at Ard Gaoithe. AJ Thomas and Jack Walsh crossed early before Mbongeni Masuku and Keith Melbourne added further scores to secure the bonus point and establish a 26-7 half-time lead.
Joey O’Connor added a penalty after the restart before Brian O’Dea and Jason Monua crossed in quick succession. Dolphin finished with tries from Jack Winters and Liam Ormond, but Clonmel’s early work ensured they made it two wins from two.
Old Crescent were forced to come from behind before overcoming Monkstown 44-31 at Takumi Park. Jed O’Dwyer and John Lyons gave Crescent an early advantage, but Monkstown responded through Cian O’Donoghue, Dylan Jameson and Cormac Dods to lead 24-15 at half-time.
Crescent turned the contest around after the break. Brian Molloy crossed before Darragh McKeogh put them ahead, while O’Dwyer completed his hat-trick in the closing stages. Ben Daly’s late penalty rounded off a 29-point second-half turnaround for the Limerick side.
Bective Rangers responded to their opening-round defeat with one of the most emphatic performances of the weekend, running in nine tries in a 57-7 victory over Bruff at Kilballyowen Park.
Edward Kelly crossed twice in the opening half as Bective built a 24-0 interval lead, before Alex Walsh, James McKeown, Tim Carroll and Bobby Holland all added to the total after the break. Carroll finished with a brace, while Matthew Gilsenan kicked six conversions.
Thomond were similarly impressive on the road, returning from Alcast Park with a 55-7 victory over Enniscorthy. Sam Birrane led the way with four tries as the Limerick side crossed eight times in total, with Kealan McMahon, Evan O’Connor, Adam Guerin and Luke Fitzgerald also getting on the scoresheet.
Midleton produced the largest winning margin of the round with a 58-0 victory over Buccaneers at Towns Park. Gabriele Baffigi and JB Du Toit both crossed twice as the hosts established a 24-0 half-time advantage before continuing to pull away.
Chris O’Brien came off the bench to score twice in the second half, while Tom Roche also completed a double and Hunter Cowan added another as Midleton finished with nine tries.
