Jack Kelleher had a big influence on Cork Constitution winning a humdinger of a Munster derby, as they prevailed 29-26 at Tom Clifford Park despite Hubert Gilvarry’s hat-trick of tries for Young Munster.
Cork Con were trailing by nine points with half-an-hour remaining, and were in danger of suffering a fourth Energia All-Ireland League defeat in a row. However, last season’s beaten finalists used their experience to dig out a crucial bonus-point win.
David Begley’s sinbinning proved costly for Young Munster, as Eoghan Smyth and Aidan Moynihan both crossed before number eight Kelleher came up with two important turnovers late on.
It was a gut-wrenching finish for Munsters, whose livewire winger Gilvarry took his season’s haul to eight tries. They earned two bonus points for their efforts, while Jonny Holland’s men have closed the gap on fifth-placed Ballynahinch to a single point.
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Gilvarry’s fizzing fourth-minute opener and a second try, in the 32nd-minute, landed some sizeable blows for the Cookies, who had Munster’s Josh Wycherley, Conor Bartley and Evan O’Connell in their tight five.
Constitution hit back with well-crafted converted scores from Peter Hyland (20 minutes) and excellent centre Smyth (36), with the recently-returned Moynihan kicking seven points for a 17-12 half-time lead.
This heavyweight Division 1A clash looked to be going the hosts’ way with Bailey Faloon burrowing over and Gilvarry completing his hat-trick from a superb interchange – Shane O’Leary added both conversions – until Con had other ideas.
Gerry Hill fittingly scored a try as Old Belvedere lifted the Evan Hill Cup, a trophy named in memory of his triplet brother, Evan, who sadly passed away from a brain haemorrhage in September.
The Hill family have strong connections with both Old Belvedere and UCD, and secondrow Gerry crossed against his former team as Belvo won 36-11 at Ollie Campbell Park to end their four-match losing run.
The Students, impressive winners last time out against Young Munster, were 19 points in arrears by half-time. Andre Ryan raided over from a quick turnover in the sixth minute, with Jack Keating having gone close earlier on from his own kick through.
Old Belvedere captain Calum Dowling enjoyed a try-scoring return, getting over from the right wing with a tremendous burst past three defenders. Will McDonald then broke the line to send Hill over in the 21st minute.
UCD came more into it during the second quarter, yet Hugh O’Sullivan scampered over for Belvo’s bonus-point score from a quickly-taken penalty. Josh Ericson was introduced after the break, fresh from his Leinster senior debut late on against the Dragons.
A David Wilkinson penalty made it 29 unanswered points until a late flurry. Daniel Hurley (72 minutes) and Leinster’s Conor O’Tighearnaigh (79) got UCD off the mark, either side of Belvedere’s fifth try which was run in by Jack Keating.
It was a special score for flying winger Keating – the 100th of his stellar All-Ireland League career – as he darted in behind the posts off the back of replacement James Dillon’s sidestepping run and offload.
Hurley had expertly spun out of a tackle for UCD’s opening try by that stage, and O’Tighearnaigh crashed in beside the posts to have the final say for Emmet MacMahon’s youngsters. The defeat means they have fallen back into the bottom two.
Elsewhere, St Mary’s College remain a point clear at the summit thanks to their 49-15 success against bottom side Nenagh Ormond. Aaron O’Sullivan and Myles Carey scored two tries each.
Terenure College produced a strong finish at Castle Avenue but reigning champions Clontarf stood firm, emerging as 29-24 bonus-point winners with captain Dylan Donnellan touching down early on in each half.
Two penalties from James Tarrant (65 and 70 minutes) steered Lansdowne to a hard-fought 18-10 victory over Ballynahinch, who narrowly missed out on a losing bonus point on the Aviva Stadium’s back pitch.
The game’s three tries were scored inside an action-packed opening 11 minutes. Lansdowne number eight Hardus van Eeden scrambled his way over initially with a typically forceful carry.
Ulster outhalf James Humphreys hung a crossfield kick out to the left for Aaron Sexton to respond for Ballynahinch. Jack Matthews soon picked up from a ruck, 12 metres out, and used a clever dummy to make it 12-7 to the hosts.
Hinch lock Ryan Connolly was inches away from scoring under the posts following a barnstorming break. It was Harry O’Riordan’s last-ditch tackle which forced a knock-on.
It was left to the place-kickers to decide the outcome, Tarrant and Conor Rankin exchanging penalties before the latter’s impressive long-range strike, with 10 minutes remaining, had plenty to spare and turned out to be the match winner.
