Terenure Go Top After Crushing Cookies

In-form Terenure College tore Young Munster apart in a 42-0 demolition job at their Lakelands Park fortress, moving themselves to the top of Ulster Bank League Division 1A in the process.

Terenure ran in six tries in all and their efforts were enough to see them climb to Division 1A's summit, level on 13 points with fellow unbeaten side Lansdowne but with a superior +60 scoring difference.

It may be after just three matches, with far tougher to come, but the bonus point win is yet another statement that the Dublin 6W club are here to compete at the highest level.

In brilliant sunshine, the hosts wore down the Cookies in the first half, with ex-Terenure man Willie Staunton missing two penalty chances.

Tries from workhorse number 8 Kyle McCoy (16 minutes) and winger Harry Moore (39) had Terenure 13-0 clear by half-time.

Play had to be held up for 30 minutes due to a neck injury sustained by Young Munster number 8 Sean Rennison early in the second period. He was taken away by ambulance and is reportedly recovering well.

When the match got back underway, the points kept coming for the home side as Mark O'Neill's second penalty. From here on, it was a one-sided affair as Young Munster slowly imploded.

A superb break by James O'Donoghue should have rewarded the full-back with a try, but he was adjudged to have been held up. However, from the ensuing five-metre scrum, scrum half Kevin O'Neill darted through the cover to touch down under the posts. 23-0, and the floodgates really opened.

Terenure had to play without sin-binned second row Fergal Walsh, but a bad error by Young Munster full-back Ben Martin allowed Shane Donovan clean through for his third try in as many league games.

That was the bonus point safely locked away for James Blaney's charges and centre Stephen O'Neill added the fifth try with 15 minutes left, scoring from O'Donoghue's classy chip through after outstanding captain James O'Neill had gobbled up a poor restart.

When Young Munster restarted from Donovan's try, the kick failed to go 10 metres and James O'Neill – playing against his former club – was fastest to react, gathering the loose ball and bolting through the cover. The ball was spun wide and O'Donoghue's well-weighted kick allowed Stephen O'Neill to race through and dot down.

Back rower McCoy completed his brace in the 73rd minute, controlling the ball at the base of an advancing scrum to grab try number six which Stephen O'Neill converted.

Referee: Mark Patton (IRFU)