Terenure College produced their best performance of the season to end Clontarf’s 10-match winning run and spoil Jordan Coughlan’s return to Lakelands Park with a 31-15 win in the All-Ireland League.
Perhaps that was part of the motivation although after four defeats in Terenure’s previous five games, and a week ahead of their derby trek to St Mary’s, Carlos Spencer’s side were in serious need of a big win.
In scoring five tries and securing a maximum five points, Terenure also climbed three places to third in the table and this was despite their depleted resources, with captain Luke Clohessy withdrawing through illness of the morning of the game to join the injured Harrison Brewer on the sidelines.
Clohessy’s replacement, the explosive 19-year-old ex-Clongowes backrower Arthur Ashmore, rose to the occasion with a huge display. Injured for the first half of the season, he has missed out on the Irish Under-20s but is eligible for that side next year.
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Adam Tuite assumed the captaincy and delivered a big 80 minutes, with Max Russell again catching the eye. Craig Adams, converted to inside centre, and Ethan Reilly struck up a strong partnership in midfield.
After Clontarf scored first through Alan Spicer, Terenure controlled much of the first half and responded with tries by Darragh Brooks, Ashmore and outhalf Aran Egan.
Terenure largely nullified the Clontarf lineout, save for Dylan Donnellan scoring a trademark try of a catch-and-drive to leave the home side 21-15 ahead at the break and their control of the second half was even more pronounced as Ashmore and Egan each scored their second tries.
The Cork Constitution-Young Munster derby in front of a big crowd at Temple Hill exploded into life in the last 15 minutes as Shay McCarthy’s try put the Cookies 18-12 up before Dylan Hicks used a penalty advantage in the last minute with a cross-kick for fullback Johnny Murphy to score. Hicks capped of a fine game in response to missing out on the Munster squad in Glasgow by landing the match-winning touchline conversion.
Con backrower Jack Kelleher, on loan at Northampton, played the last half-hour of their Premiership Cup win over Leicester.
St Mary’s stayed second seven points ahead of Terenure ahead of next week’s derby and moved to within three points of Clontarf with a 49-27 win in Nenagh, centre Myles Carey leading the way with a hat-trick and Conor Dean, Ronan Watters, Dan Goggin (again playing number eight) and Mick McCormack also scoring, with Mick O’Gara converting all seven.
Nenagh could at least take something from the game with tries by Dylan Murphy, Davey Gleeson (two), Willie Coffey and Fionn Higgins earning them their second bonus point of the season.
Lansdowne dropped to sixth after a comprehensive 34-13 win for Ballynahinch at Ballymacarn Park. A brace of sharply taken tries by Ulster flyer Aaron Sexton earned the home side a 12-3 interval lead before ‘Hinch pulled clear after the break with tries by Claytan Milligan, Pierce Crowe and Matthew Booth.
Old Belvedere also pulled eight points clear of UCD in the relegation playoff place by overturning a 14-12 half-time deficit in Belfield through a second-half try from Fionn McWey.
There were a couple of stunning turnarounds in Division 1B as Trinity recovered from a 21-0 half-time deficit to record an extraordinary 31-29 win over Garryowen at College Park, while Instonians overturned a 15-point half-time deficit to stun Queen’s University 29-22, making it 33 home wins in a row in Shaw’s Bridge.
MU Barnhall and Galwegians continued on their merry winning ways atop 2A and 2B, the former winning 19-12 away to Ballymena, while the Galway club made it 12 bonus-point wins in succession with a 28-14 victory in Enniscorthy.
Weekend results
Division 1A: Ballynahinch 34-13 Lansdowne; Cork Constitution 19-18 Young Munster; Nenagh Ormond 27-49 St Mary’s College; Terenure College 31-15 Clontarf; UCD 14-19 Old Belvedere
Division 1B: Instonians 29-22 Queen’s University; Dublin University 31-29 Garryowen; Naas 24-17 City Of Armagh; Old Wesley 19-17 Highfield; UCC 19-13 Blackrock College
Division 2A: Ballymena 12-19 MU Barnhall; Dungannon 24-21 Banbridge; Greystones 7-26 Cashel; Wanderers 22-17 Old Crescent; Galway Corinthians 27-22 Shannon
Division 2B: Buccaneers 27-22 Malone; Enniscorthy 14-28 Galwegians; Navan 14-24 Clogher Valley; Skerries 14-17 Rainey; UL Bohemian 52-17 Sligo
Division 2C: Belfast Harlequins 28-38 Bruff; Clonmel 31-17 Midleton; Dolphin 28-7 Ballyclare; Malahide P-P Bective Rangers; Thomond 21-0 Monkstown
Women’s Division: Ennis 12-38 Blackrock College; Old Belvedere 10-15 Galwegians; Railway Union 73-0 Cooke; UL Bohemians 41-7 Wicklow; Ballincollig 19-5 Tullow
