AIL round-up: Cork Con and Mary's play out thrilling draw as Ballinahinch go clear at the top

City of Armagh won away to Young Munster while Terenure beat Garryowen.

Sun, 17 Nov, 2024 - 14:24

Cian Locke

Cork Con and St Mary's played out a thrilling 27-27 draw at Temple Hill in Division 1A. Con led 13-7 at half-time with Daniel Hurley and Jack Kelleher scoring their tries. They extended that lead to 20-10 after a Hurley break allowed Billy Crowley to touch down. St Mary's got their second try 12 minutes later to level the game at 20 points each but Jacob Sheahan got Con back in front when he dotted down off a maul. There were six minutes left when a Andy Keating try, again off a maul, brought Mary's level at 27 apiece. The result puts Mary's second in the top tier while Con are in fifth, 11 points behind the league leaders.

Ballinahinch moved four points clear at the top thanks to a late 24-19 victory over UCD at Ballymacarn Park. UCD levelled the game at 19 points each in the 79th minute, going over in the corner after a driving maul but could not take the lead as the conversion dropped short. Centre George Pringle touched down in the corner for the winning score for Hinch in the 84th minute.

Hubert Gilvarry's hat-trick of tries was not enough to earn Young Munster victory against the City of Armagh. Jake O'Riordan also scored a try for Young Munster at Tom Clifford Park but tries from Jonny Morton, Dylan Nelson, Josh McKinley and Sam Cunningham - all of which were converted - along with a penalty from Kyle Faloon gave Armagh a 31-24 win. Young Munster sit in sxth while Armagh are seventh.

Terenure College won an entertaining nine-try game against bottom of the table Garryowen at Lakelands Park. Will Hickey, Adam La Grue, Adam Melia, and Conor Phillips touched down for the home side, who were also awarded a penalty try while Colm Quilligan, Brian Gleeson, and Finn McCall scores tries for Garryowen who were also given a penalty try. The game finished 42-26. In the weekend's other top tier match, seventh-placed Lansdowne defeated third-placed Clontarf 26-17.

Nenagh Ormond are second in Division 2A, three points behind leaders Old Belvedere. Their fifth win of the season was a 42-15 victory over Shannon on Saturday. Patrick Scully got two tries for Nenagh, while Conor McMahon, Craig Hannon and Charlie O'Doherty also crossed the white wash. Eoghan Clarke and Stephen Kiely got Shannon's tries.

UCC are third in the second tier after holding off a Trinity comeback. George Rasmussen, Peter Hyland, David Cogan, and Sean Condon got tries for UCC, who held a 20-3 half-time lead at the Mardyke. Mark Walsh, Tom Davidson, and Matty Lynch got second half tries for Trinity as the game finished 25-20.

Elsewhere, a strong second from Old Belvedere saw them prevail 43-24 away to Queen's University while Old Wesley beat Highfield 55-14 and Blackrock won 38-10 away to Naas.