Newcastle West climb to top spot
A try from James Kelly and a Sean Herlihy penalty gave the west Limerick side an 8-3 interval lead. James Kelly, Stephen Kelly and Sean Neville scored second half tries and Herlihy kicked two conversions and a penalty. Stephen Twohig replied with a try for the Cork side and Sean Meany kicked a conversion and a penalty.
The big game in Clonakilty saw Clonmel preserve their unbeaten start with a 24-13 win.
Two penalties from Joe Lee were cancelled out by two penalties from Conor Cooney for Clonmel, before tries from Robert Cross and Neville Melbourne and a Cooney conversion had Clonmel 18-6 ahead at half-time. Scot Sheehan brought Clonakilty back into the game with an early second half try which Lee converted, but two further penalties by Cooney gave Clonmel the points.
Muskerry picked up their first bonus win with a 22-13 home win over Cobh Pirates to go a point behind the leaders. John Chambers, Pat Rourke, Joe Tracey and Christopher Campbell were Muskerry’s try scorers and Jonathan Buckley kicked a conversion, Mick Keating replied with a try for Cobh and Eoin Geary converted and added two penalties.
Tralee picked up their first win of the campaign with a 10-6 away victory over Galbally. Jamie Byrne scored a try for the Kerry side and Ciaran Crowley kicked two penalties. Sean Bourke replied with two penalties for the home side.
Skibbereen also recorded their first win with a 20-7 home win over St Mary’s. Rory Hoyne scored two tries for the winners and Cillian Keegan got one. Ger Hurley kicked a conversion and a penalty. Jamie Lynch replied with a try for the Limerick side and Sean Lyons converted.
Kinsale suffered another heavy defeat, losing 60-19 away to Kilfeacle . Michael Shanahan, JJ Cooney, Darren Lowry, Conor Hartigan, Dermot Carr, Keith Bourke, Wallace Bourke, Ger Looby and Diarmuid O’Donnell all scored tries for the Tipperary side and Lowry kicked six conversions and a penalty. Peter Murphy, Ashley Black and Shane O’Dwyer replied with tries for Kinsale and Murphy added two conversions.
In Division Two, joint leaders Bandon and Castleisland both had bonus point victories.
Castleisland travelled to Ennis and defeated the home side 29-22. Kieran Downey, Shane O’Connell, Connie Reynolds and Gary Downey scored tries for the Kerry side and Reynolds added three conversions and a penalty.
Bandon had a 58-3 home win over Presentation. Gearoid Crowley scored four tries for the winners, Conor Pullan three and Tom Ferguson and Richie Walsh one each and Walsh kicked five conversions and a penalty. Craig Phayer replied with a penalty for the visitors.
Clanwilliam had a narrow 11-7 away win over Waterford City. Gavin Hickey scored a try for the winners and Brian Kissane and Niall Leahy each added a penalty. Ryan Phillips scored a try for Waterford and Darren Walsh converted.
Thurles defeated Abbeyfeale 24-3 with tries from Nicky Irwin, John Coman, Larry O’Gorman and Donnacha Duggan. Eoghan O’Dwyer kicked two conversions and Tom Hassett replied with a penalty for the visitors.
Mallow had a 49-19 bonus point win at home to Newport. Cor O’Donovan, Luke O’Brien and Mike Flynn scored two tries each for the winners and Cian Nagle got one. Flynn converted all seven tries. John Sullivan, Liam Griffin and Andrew O’Reilly replied with tries for the Tipperary side and Fionn O’Shea kicked two conversions.
Two tries from Paudge Flynn and Rob Foulkes and one by Dave Power gave Ballincollig a 32-14 away win over Crosshaven. Youghal defeated Killarney 24-19 with tries from Dean Malone, Brendan Mackey and James Frahill-O’Connor.
