The sole undefeated streak in Division 1A of the Energia AIL concluded as Clontarf went down 28-10 to a superior Terenure at Castle Avenue. In another encounter amongst the top four teams from previous seasons, reigning champions Cork Con were defeated by Lansdowne 27-10.
Terenure took firm control early on, leading 18-0 due to some inspired performances by Harrison Brewer, Adam Melia and Jordan Coughlan. They capitalised on key tries by Henry McErlean and Chris Cosgrave, before relinquishing an intercept try.
On their own 22, they executed an impressive strike from a scrum, culminating with wing Craig Adams finishing off the move. The manoeuvre was initiated by the Leinster’s Austrian academy out-half Casper Gabriel’s deft footwork and an offload, alongside a try-aiding assist by Adam La Grue. Clontarf managed to hold on to their top position by one point, despite Terenure’s disappointment in not securing a bonus point in the closing half-hour.
Noteworthy performances of the day included multiple players who were fresh from the Emerging Ireland tour, such as Charlie Tector’s standout display at the Aviva backpitch. Renowned for his centre role with Leinster, the former Ireland under-20 out-half saw his welcome return to the number 10 spot, securing 22 points with five successful kicks and two tries.
Although Clontarf’s undefeated AIL run was halted by formidable Terenure, Leinster scrumhalf Cormac Foley was crowned man of the match courtesy of the firm grip he maintained on the game. Team captain Jack Cooke also contributed a try, helping his side command a 17-3 lead at halftime. Despite their stellar defence, they did express minor disappointment in not obtaining a bonus point.
In a thrilling display of rugby, the last minute goal-kicks determined the victors in three closely contested matches. Conor Rankin, with a steady hand, converted a second maul try by Clayton Mulligan, thereby winning the match for Ballynahinch against Young Munster with a 26-25 scoreline. Mick O’Gara from St Mary’s and the University College Dublin’s (UCD) captain and outhalf James Tarrant led their respective teams to 25-22 victories against Garryowen and City of Armagh.
Old Belvedere managed to climb to the top spot following their 32-31 victory over recently promoted Nenagh Ormond in an intense 1B league match.
In Division 2A, the combination of present and possible future under-20 internationals from Corinthians created a spectacle of fluid play. They, along with Cashel and Instonians, maintained absolute winning streaks. Orin Burke executed two brilliant first-half tries for the Corinthians, courtesy of swift offloads and sidesteps, all before Bryan Walsh, the towering 6ft 10in lock, tore through five defenders to score their sixth of seven in a relentless 35-minute assault.
The upcoming Saturday will see Corinthians being challenged by Instonians, who’ve claimed victory in 38 of their past 40 AIL games, albeit one of their rare losses occurred at Corinthian Park in the previous season.
Energia All-Ireland League revealed the results with the City of Armagh falling to UCD 25-22, Terenure College dominating Clontarf 28-10, Lansdowne surpassing Cork Constitution with a 27-10 score, St Mary’s College narrowly defeating Garryowen 25-22, and Ballynahinch eking out a win against Young Munster 26-25.
In Division 2B matches, Clogher Valley achieved a 44-12 victory over UL Bohemian. Dungannon outscored Rainey with 22 against 15 points. Skerries and Malahide faced off, with the former winning 27-21. Sligo outpaced Malone, securing a 21-12 lead while Wanderers narrowly defeated Galwegians with a score of 21-20.
Moving to Division 2C, Ballyclare triumphed over Bruff in a clean sweep, finishing 66 points to none. Belfast Harlequins had a close match with Omagh Academicals, winning 31-26. Dolphin dominated over Tullamore with a 40-19 victory. A close match between Enniscorthy and Midleton ended in Midleton’s favour at 27-24. In another closely contested game, Clonmel pipped Monkstown to post at 29-27.
In the Women’s Division, UL Bohemian outmatched Old Belvedere with a score of 31-5. Railway Union secured a win over Blackrock College, final score being 22-15. Galwegians had an impressive victory over Cooke at 59-22. A commanding win was achieved by Wicklow against Suttonians, ending the game at 45-5. Lastly, Ballincollig won over Tullow scoring 26 points to 10.