Clontarf are the only unbeaten team left in All-Ireland League Division 1A after Mick McGrath’s 78th-minute try secured a 22-17 win over a Jake Flannery-inspired Shannon side on Thomond Park’s back pitch.
Outhalf Flannery scored all of Shannon’s points, including an opportunistic second-half try and a brilliant penalty from halfway with six minutes remaining. However, the 19-year-old man-of-the-match’s exploits were not enough as McGrath’s score, adding to earlier tries from Tony Ryan and Seán O’Brien, sealed a late ’Tarf victory.
The north Dubliners have nipped ahead of Cork Constitution at the top of the table following Lansdowne’s 35-27 bonus point defeat of the Leesiders. Harry Byrne, younger brother of Ross Byrne, enjoyed a dream debut for the defending champions with 20 first-half points, including a slick brace of tries.
Bonus point
Adam Leavy’s 44th-minute try from a turnover bagged the bonus point for Lansdowne, who now have back-to-back wins after a tough start to the campaign. Cork Con did not leave the Aviva Stadium’s back pitch empty-handed, though, as a strong finish saw captain Niall Kenneally cross for their bonus point score in injury-time.
Leinster prospect Michael Silvester returned to club action with a terrific hat-trick of tries as Dublin University opened their win account, seeing off Young Munster 37-26 at College Park. The talented full-back’s grubber kick also set up a try for debutant Liam Turner, with out-half James Fennelly kicking 17 points.
James Thornton’s 75th-minute penalty, on the back of Stephen O’Neill’s try double, guided bottom side Terenure College to a much-needed 18-17 win away to UCC, whose three tries included Murray Linn’s third of the season. Young winger David Heavey claimed his first two league tries in UCD’s impressive 31-19 bonus point dismissal of Garryowen at Dooradoyle.
Hat-trick
Meanwhile, three of the Ulster clubs enjoyed bonus point triumphs in Division 1B, with Banbridge the new leaders following their 30-point success against Ballymena. Richard Reaney helped himself to a hat-trick as Ballynahinch overcame Buccaneers 42-31.
Malone bounced back with a 39-8 win over Old Belvedere, their six-try haul including two from winger David McMaster, while St Mary’s erased an 11-point deficit at home to City of Armagh with four tries and 27 points in the final 50 minutes. Leinster “A” duo Cormac Foley and Ronan Watters both touched down.
