Old Belvedere make impressive start to AIL season with big win at Young Munster
Following on from providing all four semi-finalists for the first time ever last season, Leinster clubs wasted little time in re-asserting their dominance of the Energia All-Ireland League Division 1A on its opening day. The division’s only three non-Leinster clubs – Young Munster, Cork Constitution and Ballynahinch – hosted Old Belvedere, Terenure College and UCD, none of whom reached last season’s top four, and all three matches ended in away wins. Old Belvedere’s new signings made eye-catching debuts in a 47-14 victory at Tom Clifford Park. Among them, Rob Russell, opened the scoring and after Luke McLaughlin cancelled out a try by the Cookies’ new Australian fullback Benn Dalle Cort, before a stunning flurry of three tries in six minutes before half-time by James Dillon, Hugh Reddan and Ed Byrne made it 33-7. Young Munster rallied in the second half through Kelvin Langan’s score but tries by new Australian lock Jhy Legg and a sweetly executed strike play by Peter O’Beirne underlined Belvo’s supremacy. “We had a purple patch there approaching half-time that kicked the scoreboard on a little bit,” said Belvo head coach Hugh Hogan. “A lot of the rest of the game was incredibly even. “First year up last season in 1A, we found our feet through the first half [of the campaign],” added Hogan, whose side lost 22-13 in this fixture last season. “Then in the second half we found a few good wins and we wanted to come into this year with the confidence to know we could beat teams. Putting a number of wins together is the challenge to be a top-four side and that’s what we’ve spoken about. We have ambition to get there, but we have a lot of work to do to prove that.” His counterpart, Ger Slattery, blooded 10 new players and admitted: “We’ve a lot of young guys there, a lot of guys making AIL debuts. We were definitely rabbits in headlights in the first half. We showed some green shoots in the second half, but too late.” He admitted next week’s trek to Terenure would be “a big challenge” and added: “But we have a good record up there and we have to regroup and not go into a shell now and go up and give it a crack.” Terenure College recovered from Adam Maher’s early try to win 27-10 at Temple Hill, with Griffin Culver, Joshua Kenny, Peter Sylvester and Adam LaGrue all scoring. UCD recovered from a 24-7 deficit by the 22nd minute away to Ballynahinhch through tries by Evan Moynihan either side of half-time before scores by Joe Christie and Maxim Aschenbrenner sealed a 39-24 win. Alex Soroka scored two of Clontarf’s six tries in a 38-22 win over newly-promoted Old Wesley at Castle Avenue, but arguably the most impressive win was by the champions St Mary’s. They led Lansdowne 19-13 inside the last 10 minutes through tries by Ruairi Shields, Richie Bergin and Aaron O’Sullivan before a second try by Lansdowne’s ex-Sligo winger Mark McGlynn led to James Tarrant hitting the upright with the touchline conversion. “Absolutely delighted,” admitted Mark McHugh after winning at his former club. “It was a really professional performance, not without errors. But it’s a huge win.” Energia AIL Men’s Division 1A Ballynahinch 24 UCD 39 Clontarf 38 Old Wesley 22 Cork Con 10 Terenure Col. 27 Lansdowne 18 St Mary’s Col. 19 Young Munster 14 Old Belvedere 47 Division 1B Blackrock Col. 21 MU Barnhall 10 City of Armagh 21 Dublin Uni. 21 Garryowen 25 Instonians 20 Highfield RFC 12 Nenagh Ormond 22 Naas 32 UCC Rugby 12 Division 2A Shannon RFC 21 Queen’s Uni. 32 Ballymena 26 Greystones 14 Cashel RFC 32 UL Bohemian 17 Corinthians 28 Wanderers 26 Dungannon 17 Galwegians 5 Division 2B North Ballyclare RFC 32 Sligo 26 Clogher Valley 38 Malahide 15 Enniskillen RFC 33 Rainey RFC 29 Malone 29 Banbridge 27 Skerries 44 Navan 22 Division 2B South Bective Rangers 33 Old Crescent 36 Buccaneers 5 Bruff 33 Dolphin 37 Enniscorthy 12 Monkstown 28 Clonmel 33 Thomond RFC 12 Midleton 23