Provincial Rugby Roundup

There are no changes at the top of the Three Divisions of the Munster Junior League as the competition reaches the halfway mark.

Division 1 leaders Kilfeacle extended their lead at the top of Division 1, following their 24-13 away win over one of their main challengers Mallow. Bob Purcell scored two of Kilfeacle’s four tries and Rian Doody and Ricky Whitney got one each. Muiri Lambe kicked two conversions. Sean Glynn replied with a try for Mallow and Riley Harrison kicked a conversion and two penalties.

Clonakilty remain in second place two points behind the leaders after their 18-17 home win against Clanwilliam. Matt Foster and Tobi Oliver scored tries for the home side and Niall Barrett kicked two penalties and a conversion. Clanwilliam replied with tries from Jack Quinlan and Niall Leahy, with Leahy converting both and also adding a penalty.

For the second successive week Kanturk failed to hold out for a victory as two late tries from David Shannon, which he also converted earned Skibbereen a 33-33 draw at Kanturk. Ciaran Coombes, Thomas Williams and Tom Beare also scored tries for Skibbereen and two of those were also converted by Shannon. Conor O’Sullivan, Eanna O’Mahony, Brian O’Sullivan and Dylan Moynihan replied with tries for Kanturk, who were also awarded a penalty try. Paul O’Keeffe kicked three conversions.

Sunday’s Well slipped further out of the title race when their second trip to Limerick in eight days, ended in a 11-5 home win for Richmond. Ben Gallagher scored Richmond’s try and Shane Purcell kicked two penalties, Rory Landers replied with a try for the ‘Well.

Old Christians got back to winning ways with a 35-31 home victory against St. Mary’s. Dan Kelleher, Jamie Hayes Niall McCarthy, Lazio Rabatin and Jack Lonergan scored tries for the Rathcooney side and all five were converted by Sam Haberlin. The Saints replied with two tries from Stephen Hayes and one each by Daire Farragher, Darragh Fitzgerald and Paul Curtis. Paul Laughran added three conversions.

Newcastle West eased their relegation worries with a 36-28 home win against Bandon. Sean Murphy scored two tries for the winners, and Mark O’Mara, James Guinea and Shane Airey got one each. Guinea kicked four conversions and a penalty. Reece Hughes, James Collins O’Brien, Padraig Galvin and Dan Lane replied with tries for Bandon. Dan Coughlan kicked three conversions and Dylan Barr one.

Bottom side Muskerry recorded their first victory of the campaign with a 23-21 away win at Thurles. Frankie Horgan, Cormac Dennehy and Ryan Spillane scored tries for Muskerry and Rob Cahill kicked a conversion and two penalties. Paddy McGrath, Shane Nugent and Jason Theron scored tries for Thurles and James Maher converted all three.

Crosshaven took a big step to claiming one of the two promotion places from Division 2, when they beat fellow contenders Waterpark 26-17 on Suirside. Fergal Conway, Jack O’Connell, Kealan Daly and Niall Deane scored tries for Crosshaven and O’Connell converted three of them. Darragh Hurley was Waterpark’s try scorer, and they were also awarded a penalty try. Dermot Lannen added a conversion and a penalty.

Kinsale kept up their challenge with a 27-5 away win at Castleisland. David Looney, Evan Lehane, Conor Aherne and Brian O’Donnell were Kinsale’s try scorers and David Evans kicked two conversions and a penalty. Sean Nolan replied with a try for the home side.

Youghal moved into fourth place after their 22-14 away win in Fermoy. Rory Walsh scored two tries for the visitors and Sean O’Riordan and Bobby Nicholson got one each. Nathan O’Halloran kicked one conversion. Peter Finn and Alan Lacey replied with tries for Fermoy and both were converted by Eoin Lacey.

St Senan’s remain in fifth spot after their 31-14 home win against Cobh Pirates. Declan Rowe, Roberto Kelly and Brian Collins were the Senan’s try scorers and Rowe kicked two conversions and four penalties. Killian O’Connell replied with two tries for the Pirates and Mikey White converted both.

Charleville defeated Ennis 26-19 in a game that doubled up as a Junior Clubs Shield tie. Dylan Kenny scored a try, conversion and four penalties for Ennis.

Carrick-on-Suir defeated Ballincollig 38-29, with Jack Boylan scoring two tries for the winners and Odhran Barry and Ronan O’Connell got one each. Fionn Barry kicked three conversions and four penalties. Ballincollig replied with two tries from Michael O’Shea, and Diarmuid Phelan and Oisin Morin got one apiece. Phelan kicked three conversions and a penalty.

Fethard won the battle of the two bottom sides, when they recorded a 22-10 away win at Abbeyfeale. Peter Wall scored two tries, two penalties and a conversion of Fethard’s tally, with Michael Gaynor also scoring a try. Cody Greaney and Mark Nolan replied with tries for the home side.

Killarney extended their lead at the top of the Third Division to four points after their 34-11 home win against Bantry Bay. Adam Walsh, Finn Kennelly, Craig McKenzie Vass, Aaron Jones, Padraig Talbot and Donnchadh Grealy scored tries for Killarney and Ciaran O’Brien and Thomas Clifford kicked a conversion each. Jack O’Donohoe replied with a try for Bantry and Shane O’Sullivan added two penalties.

Tralee kept up their promotion challenge with a 24-12 home win against Scariff. Ben Quilter, Ben Glavin and Leon Tanfin were the Tralee try scorers and Stephen Turner kicked three conversions and a penalty. Martin Daly and Alex Boblea replied with tries for Scariff and Boblea added one conversion.

Killorglin defeated Douglas 17-15 with tries from Cormac Doyle and Stephen Cotter. Luke O’Shea converted both and also added a penalty. Pat Carey and Liam O’Flynn replied with tries for Douglas and Carey kicked a conversion and a penalty.

Galbally-Mitchelstown defeated Dungarvan 29-8 with tries from Jack Halligan, Peter O’Dwyer, David Sheehan and Oisin Walsh. Graham Bourke kicked three conversions and a penalty. Brendan Cullinane scored a try for Dungarvan and David Hickey kicked a penalty.