Carlos Spencer hailed the character of his team after Terenure moved to within a point of Energia All-Ireland League leaders St Mary’s with a gritty 14-12 win to end their neighbours’ unbeaten record. On a sodden Lakelands Park pitch, which nonetheless held up well, this full-on D6W derby captivated a crowd of about 4,000 from its first minute to a thunderous climax.
The prolific Mick O’Gara opened the scoring before Terenure struck through John McKee’s close-range finish after a sweeping move released Caolan Dooley to link with the supporting Griffin Culver. O’Gara then landed three more penalties to inch St Mary’s 12-7 in front before they withheld a siege on the line inside the last 10 minutes.
However, Terenure’s furious kick-chase and counter-ruck earned another onslaught from which flanker Oisín McCormack burrowed over and Chris Cosgrave landed another fine conversion. Cue a wave of attacks from distance by St Mary’s, with Conor Dean puling the strings, which led to a 52-metre penalty by O‘Gara with the last kick which had the legs but drifted wide.
“It’s a shame that the weather didn’t play its part and give us a nice day. We could probably have played a bit more rugby,” said Spencer. “So, we had to tidy things up a bit and sometimes it became a bit of a scrap.
RM Block
“We missed out on a couple of opportunities and our discipline let us down, but we stayed in the fight and grafted to show true character. I’m very proud of that and when we got our opportunity we took it. We didn’t give in, which was good.”
His counterpart, Mark McHugh, expressed similar sentiments. “A typical derby, no quarter given and none asked. We could have nicked it at the end, justly or unjustly I don’t know, but they are a really good team.
“They’re going to be there or thereabouts at the end and I really hope we will be as well. Disappointed to lose, but equally delighted with the fight we showed and the courage and the guts, because they are attributes you can’t coach.”
Champions Clontarf moved alongside Terenure on 23 points by beating Cork Con 17-3 at Temple Hill in a repeat of last year’s final. Lansdowne are fourth on 20 points after a 36-11 win over neighbours Old Belvedere at Ollie Campbell Park. Max Deegan stole line-outs and imposed himself, as did Charlie Tector.
Ballynahinch are fifth, a point further back, after their 24-3 bonus-point win at Nenagh Ormond, while UCD moved out of the bottom two after a handsome bonus-point win over Young Munster.
Curiously, the top two entering round six met in each of the top four divisions. Old Wesley remain first in 1B after a 30-16 win at home to Trinity, as do unbeaten Barnhall in 2A after a 28-10 win at Dungannon. The same goes for unbeaten Galwegians after their seven-try 43-21 win away to UL Bohemians.
The same match-up took place in the women’s division on the UL 4G, where champions UL Bohs moved above a dogged Galwegians with a 36-24 win.
Results
Energia All-Ireland League Division 1A: Cork Constitution 3-17 Clontarf; Nenagh Ormond 3-24 Ballynahinch; Old Belvedere 11-36 Lansdowne; UCD 34-12 Young Munster; Terenure College 14-12 St Mary’s College.
Women’s Division: Ennis 22-19 Cooke; Blackrock College 60-5 Tullow; Old Belvedere 65-7 Ballincollig; Railway Union 48-7 Wicklow; UL Bohemians 36-24 Galwegians.
Division 1B: City Of Armagh 15-29 Garryowen; Instonians 17-15 Highfield; Naas 32-20 Blackrock College; Old Wesley 30-16 Dublin University; UCC 27-12 Queens University.
Division 2A: Ballymena 29-23 Cashel; Banbridge 15-7 Old Crescent; Dungannon 7-28 MU Barnhall; Galway Corinthians 19-18 Wanderers; Greystones 7-10 Shannon.
Division 2B: Enniscorthy 20-26 Clogher Valley; Navan 10-19 Rainey; Skerries 25-23 Buccaneers; Sligo 19-35 Malone; UL Bohemians 21-43 Galwegians.
Division 2C: Ballyclare 34-43 Monkstown; Belfast Harlequins 24-22 Midleton; Clonmel 24-22 Thomond; Dolphin 14-35 Bective Rangers; Malahide 21-15 Bruff.
All-Ireland Junior Cup quarter-finals: Athy 41-10 Suttonians; Dromore 23-0 Enniskillen; St Mary’s 28-60 Creggs; Seapoint P-P Wicklow, Kilbogget Park (Rescheduled for November 28th)
