Clontarf scrape win to keep top spot

Clontarf maintained their six point advantage at the top of the All Ireland League after a narrow 19-18 victory at UL Bohemians…

Clontarf maintained their six point advantage at the top of the All Ireland League after a narrow 19-18 victory at UL Bohemians this afternoon.

The Bohs players will feel the result is hardly a fair reflection of proceedings at Thomond Park and but for a missed injury-time penalty, the points would have been staying in Limerick.

Bohs put on possibly their best display of the season so far and led 8-0 at the interval with a try from Karl Gilligan and an Ian Costello penalty to show for their efforts.

But Clontarf, their ears stinging after a half-time lambasting, were a side transformed after the break and quickly grabbed a brace of tries to take the lead.

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Bohs were never out of it however, and after the sides exchanged a further try each, and Costello had closed the gap to a point with a penalty, the place-kicker had the opportunity to win the match with the last kick of the match, a kick he put agonisingly wide.

Second-placed Ballymena also had a one point win (14-13) at home to Shannon, as they kept the pressure on the Dublin side.

Elsewhere, faltering Cork Con suffered their fourth successive defeat with the students of UCD condemning them to a 36-20 loss at Belfield.

The midtable clash of sides of Buccaneers and St Mary's ended with the home side recording a 20-18 win while Blackrock were handed a 47-13 dubbing at the hands of a resurgent Lansdowne.

Meanwhile, Ireland's Rob Henderson continued his rehabilitation from a bicep injury and played his first match in three months for Young Munster this afternoon.

The Munster centre helped his side to a 15-12 win over division two rivals Greystones and will hope to feature in some capacity in next week's Celtic League final.

Also in action after a lengthy injury lay-off was flanker David Wallace who figured in Garryowen's defeat of Belfast Harlequins.

Division One

Ballymena 14-13 Shannon
Blackrock 13-47 Lansdowne
Buccaneers 20-18 St Mary's
Carlow 12-13 Dungannon
Garryowen 12-10 Belfast Harlequins
Terenure 20-41 Galwegians
UCD 36-20 Cork Constitution
UL Bohemian 18-19 Clontarf

Division Two

Ballynahinch 7-11 Midleton
Bective Rangers 8-13 Barnhall
Dolphin 2-17 Dublin University
Malone 15-9 Old Crescent
Thomond 22-20 Portadown
UCC 15-3 Sunday's Well
Young Munster 15-12 Greystones.

Division Three

Ballina 44-19 Banbridge
City of Derry 7-10 QUB
Clonakilty 13-22 Corinthians
Highfield 18-16 Old Wesley
Instonians 49-0 Skerries
Naas 13-15 Connemara
Suttonians 23-23 Monkstown