A memorable day for Clontarf RFC and the Soroka family ensured the celebrations went long into the night at Castle Avenue on Saturday. Second-half tries by the Soroka brothers, Ivan and Alex, enabled Clontarf to edge out Ballynahinch 21-16 and both win the Bateman Cup for the first time and, with league points also at stake, go to the top of Division 1A at the festive, halfway point in the season.
Although the match was moved to the all-weather pitch, this was something of an old-school, full-on rumble. Ballynahinch had lost their previous eight AIL meetings with Clontarf but brought plenty of intent, roaring into a 13-0 lead with the wind behind them through a try by tighthead Tom McAlister and the boot of Conor Rankin.
Despite the ‘Tarf pack earning a penalty try off a lineout drive and a yellow card for ‘Hinch captain Clayton Milligan, Rankin made it 16-7 at the interval with his third penalty.
After the introduction of Ivan Soroka, the home scrum turned the screw in time-honoured fashion, which eventually led to his brother Alex scoring, with Conor Kelly converting.
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When ‘Tarf turned down a kickable penalty and ‘Hinch number eight Bradley Luney won a relieving penalty it looked like it most prove costly for the home side. But after another catch-and-drive was held up, Clontarf turned to one of their power plays again and the sequence of pick-and-goes culminated in Ivan Soroka, with Fionn Gilbert latching on, driving over in the 76th minute and Kelly again converting.
As well as claiming their first Bateman Cup, Clontarf had the additional incentive of returning to the top of the able in light of Lansdowne having shut out a free-scoring St Mary’s with a 14-0 win at Templeville Road.
This followed first-half tries by outhalf James Tarrant and tighthead Greg McGrath, with the former converting both, so moving third-placed Lansdowne up to 30 points, with St Mary’s on 33 and Clontarf on 37 ahead of the Christmas break.
Terenure are just holding on to fourth place on 27 points after picking up another two bonus points in a 30-24 defeat away to Old Belvedere. Each side scored four tries, with two penalties by David Wilkinson proving the difference, but this was a third successive loss for Terenure. Cork Con moved alongside them after a third win in a row, scoring six tries to three and 26 unanswered second-half points in a 36-19 win at UCD.
Despite losing six of their first seven games, Young Munster have moved up to sixth on 23 points and will also take some momentum into the second half of the season after recording a second consecutive victory when scoring eight tries in their 57-10 win at home to Nenagh Ormond.
Old Wesley remain top of 1B after a significant 26-20 win in Blackrock, while Barnhall and Galwegians maintained the AIL’s last two unbeaten records atop 2A and 2B by beating Corinthians 15-8 and Skerries 61-0 at home respectively. Finn Treacy, Rob Deacy and Oisín McKey all scored twice as ‘Wegians moved 14 points clear.
The City of Armagh-Instonians 1B game at the Palace Grounds was postponed due to the sudden death of City of Armagh player Adam Hegarty last weekend. Adam had been in Carlingford celebrating his birthday just hours after scoring a try for City of Armagh when a complication with his type 1 diabetes led to his untimely death.
Saturday’s scores
Bateman Cup Final: Clontarf 21 Ballynahinch 16 (game also counts as league match).
Energia All-Ireland League Division 1A: Old Belvedere 30 Terenure College 24; St Mary’s College 0 Lansdowne 14; UCD 19 Cork Constitution 36; Young Munster 57 Nenagh Ormond 10.
Division 1B: Highfield 33 Garryowen 19; Blackrock College 20 Old Wesley 25; Naas 24 UCC 34; Queen’s University 12 Dublin University 52.
Division 2A: Shannon 27 Old Crescent 12; MU Barnhall 15 Galway Corinthians 8; Banbridge 10 Greystones 18; Cashel 19 Wanderers 26; Dungannon 30 Ballymena 10.
Division 2B: Sligo 35 Navan 18; Clogher Valley 43 Buccaneers 14; Galwegians 61 Skerries 0; Rainey 22 Malone 13; UL Bohemian 31 Enniscorthy 17.
Division 2C: Ballyclare 34 Belfast Harlequins 19; Bective Rangers 34 Clonmel 33; Bruff 17 Thomond 20; Dolphin 25 Malahide 22; Midleton 15 Monkstown 19.
All-Ireland Junior Cup semi-finals: Seapoint 32 Athy 19; Creggs 21 Dromore 32.
Women’s Division: Ballincollig 22 UL Bohemian 68; Ennis 24 Old Belvedere 24; Railway Union 44 Galwegians 0; Cooke 0 Blackrock College 43; Tullow 15 Wicklow 36.
