Terenure’s mid term woes continue as UCD dominate eight-try thriller

Terenure College’s mid-season slump continued at Lakelands Park on Saturday as they were outgunned 33-24 by UCD in an eight-try Ulster Bank League thriller.

Previously unbeaten Terenure have now lost three of their last four Division 1A games, their latest reversal seeing UCD avenge last month’s 26-17 defeat at Belfield.

While Terenure struggled to cope with two players in the sin-bin, UCD ran in three unconverted tries in a nine-minute spell approaching half-time — the in-form Sam Coghlan Murray and Shane Grannell (2) both touched down.

A penalty try late in the first half and Fergal Walsh’s 76th-minute score kept ‘Nure competitive, but in between out-half Ross Byrne landed a penalty and Jordan Coghlan came off the bench to score try number five for UCD.

With Terenure slipping up, Lansdowne are the new leaders of Division 1A after coming from behind to beat St. Mary’s College 16-10 on the Aviva Stadium’s back pitch.

Mike Ruddock’s charges, who trailed 10-3 at half-time, knuckled down in the second half as tries from winger John Coleman and replacement prop Peter Dooley saw them claim their fifth league triumph on the trot.

A late surge saw defending champions Clontarf get back to winning ways with a 24-21 victory over hosts Old Belvedere at Anglesea Road.

A try from Leinster winger Mick McGrath, coupled with a Matt D’Arcy effort five minutes from time, made the difference for the north Dubliners who had lost four of their previous five league games.

Ballynahinch, the newly-crowned Ulster Senior Cup champions, continued their very good winter form by scoring 27 unanswered points in the second half of their 30-6 home triumph over Young Munster. The tries came from flanker Paul Pritchard, centre Steve Macauley and winger Ross Adair.

Meanwhile, Dublin University showed they are genuine promotion contenders by thrashing Division 1B leaders Galwegians 35-5 in an incredible result at College Park.

Trinity produced their best performance of the season, with German underage international Sebastian Fromm scoring the first of their five tries. Forwards Tom Collis and Jack Burke also got in on the act.

The surprise result cuts ‘Wegians’ lead at the summit to five points, while fourth-placed Trinity are now only nine points off top spot ahead of the Christmas break.

Second-placed Ballymena should be closer to the league leaders but they were held to a 13-13 draw by Corinthians in Galway.

Bottom side Belfast Harlequins revived their fortunes with a runaway 38-7 victory over UL Bohemians at Deramore Park, with Ulster duo Michael Heaney and Rory Scholes both touching down. The win was a fitting tribute to former ‘Quins player Fintan Hillyard who sadly passed away last Tuesday following a brave battle with cancer.

In the Saturday evening game, tries from Kolo Kiripati (2), Callum Boland and Connacht’s Mata Fifita saw Buccaneers bag a bonus point in a 32-14 defeat of Malone.