The fun and games at the Aviva and its environs didn’t end on Friday night as Lansdowne produced their best performance of the season on Saturday to beat Young Munster on the back pitch.
Two junior trophies were also celebrated, as was Italy’s historic win over England, not least by a 70-strong contingent from the visiting Capitolina club in Rome.
Despite the misleading 31-13 scoreline, defence was indeed key to Lansdowne cementing their place in fourth spot in the table on 47 points. Young Munster threw everything at them and were still in the game at 19-13 down inside the final quarter.
Ireland beat a dogged Wales side under the lights at the Aviva
Lansdowne sealed the bonus point with a stunning try, initiated by James Tarrant’s turnover tackle in their own corner. Lansdowne swept upfield, recycled the ball and moved it wide left via Tarrant’s skip pass before Juan Beukes fed Bobby Sheehan for a 30-metre finish along the left touchline – his second of the game and ninth of the season.
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“I thought it was a brilliant match,” said Lansdowne head coach Declan Fassbender, who praised the performance of their Limerick opponents. “They’re so good themselves, the way they move the ball, their physicality. I feel a bit sorry for them on the basis that they had a lot of opportunities but we managed to survive. Honestly, I thought it was our best performance so far. Hopefully, a sign of things to come.”
The defeat left the Cookies (40 points) sixth but Ger Slattery believes they can still make the playoffs. “I said to the lads inside, that’s not a 31-13 game. I suppose we were probably chasing it and left ourselves a bit loose, but I don’t think we deserved that, although we need to learn from it too.”
St Mary’s (59) and Clontarf (58) maintained their push for home semi-finals, the former scoring nine tries in a 59-12 win over UCD, while ‘Tarf scored eight, and conceded six, in beating Old Belvedere 54-51.
Terenure (48) eventually subdued Nenagh Ormond, who picked up a third point in a 40-31 loss, while Con (43) lost ground with a 28-26 in Ballynahinch.
Old Wesley let slip a 25-14 interval lead in losing 35-32 at home to Instonians. It means their lead at the top of Division 1B is trimmed to a point by Trinity after a last-minute try and conversion by Matthew Lynch secured a 13-12 win over UCC. MU Barnhall sealed the 2A title by beating Old Crescent 24-21, while Galwegians did likewise in 2B with their 40-15 win over Malone.
Results
Energia All-Ireland League
Division 1A: Ballynahinch 28 Cork Constitution 26; Clontarf 54 Old Belvedere 51; Lansdowne 31 Young Munster 13; Nenagh Ormond 31 Terenure College 40; St Mary’s College 59 UCD 12.
Division 1B: Dublin University 13 UCC 12; Garryowen 31-28 Blackrock College 28; Highfield 21 Naas 24; Old Wesley 32 Instonians 35; Queen’s University 12 City Of Armagh 31.
Division 2A: Cashel 73 Banbridge 14; Galway Corinthians 15-14 Greystones 14; Old Crescent 21 MU Barnhall 24; Shannon 23 Banbridge 19; Wanderers 17 Ballymena 12.
Division 2B: Buccaneers 26 Enniscorthy 33; Clogher Valley 27 Sligo 26; Malone 15 Galwegians 40; Rainey 26 UL Bohemian 24; Skerries 20 Navan 17.
Division 2C: Bruff 19 Ballyclare 34; Clonmel 66 Belfast Harlequins 14; Midleton 17 Dolphin 20; Monkstown 21 Bective Rangers 28; Thomond 34 Malahide 24.
Women’s Division: Cooke 19 Ballincollig 24; Galwegians 26 Tullow 0; Ennis 38 Wicklow 36; Blackrock College 5 Railway Union 39; Old Belvedere 22 UL Bohemian 41.
