AIL Thread

NaiveMelodies

Very suprised to see the lack of any significant AIL thread?
Surely im not the only ail fan on this board?

anyway, 2 rounds in, Blackrock suprising everybody with 2 great wins, while Marys have won well in their opening games.


Heres todays result roundup taken from irishrugby.ie.

Come on, lets talk about our league, the standard is quite high and continues to produce high quality matches.


DIVISION ONE:

GALWEGIANS 27 DUNGANNON 21, Crowley Park

Scorers: Galwegians: Tries: Brian Murphy, David Nolan, Chris Briegl, Liam Casserly; Cons: Matt Brandon, Robert O'Beirne; Pen: Robert O'Beirne
Dungannon: Tries: Derek Hall, Michael Rainey; Con: John McGuckin; Pen: John McGuckin 3

Galwegians posted their first AIB League win under new coach Kevin Tierney, courtesy of a fiery display against Dungannon.

In an entertaining clash, 'Wegians scored three tries in the opening 26 minutes at Crowley Park.

Winger Brian Murphy touched down after barely 30 seconds, lock David Nolan scored on 20 minutes and South African Chris Briegl followed him.

An intercept try from Dungannon flanker Derek Hall made it 17-11 at half-time. But Liam Casserly scored off a pushover to chalk up 'Wegians' bonus point.

GARRYOWEN 26 BLACKROCK COLLEGE 30, Dooradoyle

Scorers: Garryowen: Tries: Kieran Lewis, Lorcan Bourke, Conor Kilroy; Con: Conor Kilroy; Pens: Conor Kilroy 3
Blackrock College: Tries: Shane Monahan, Kyle Tonetti; Con: Darragh Fitzpatrick; Pens: Darragh Fitzpatrick 5, Niall Morris

Darragh Fitzpatrick kicked 17 points as Blackrock College overturned a half-time deficit to beat Limerick opposition for the second week running in the AIB League.

Out-half Fitzpatrick, a key figure against Shannon last week, booted five penalties and converted Shane Monahan''s first half try.

Lorcan Bourke and Kieran Lewis helped themselves to tries as Garryowen muscled into a 15-13 half-time lead at Dooradoyle.

Home full-back Conor Kilroy completed a 16-point personal haul, but Rock took the verdict thanks to the sure-footed Fitzpatrick.

SHANNON 25 BUCCANEERS 21, Coonagh

Scorers: Shannon: Try: Richie Mullane; Con: Tadhg Bennett; Pens: Tadhg Bennett 5; Drop: Tadhg Bennett
Buccaneers: Tries: Mark Bruce, Simon Rolleston, John O'Brien; Pens: Alan Gaughan 2

Shannon scrapped their way to their first win of the AIB League season and had out-half Tadhg Bennett to thank for their Coonagh success.

Buccaneers scored three tries but Bennett kicked a match-winning 20 points for the hosts.

Helped by the inclusion of Munster's Donnacha Ryan and Tony Buckley, Shannon took a 13-11 lead into the break, with winger Richie Mullane touching down.

Buccs mustered tries through Mark Bruce, Simon Rolleston and John O'Brien but crucially they missed four kicks at goal.

ST. MARY'S COLLEGE 31 BALLYMENA 20, Templeville Road

Scorers: St. Mary's College: Tries: Matt D'Arcy, Conor McPhillips, Shaun McCarthy 2, Stephen Grissing; Cons: Shaun McCarthy 3
Ballymena: Tries: Tommy Seymour 2, Penalty try; Con: Tom Woods; Pen: Tom Woods

St. Mary's College made it two AIB League wins out of two with a classy dismissal of Ballymena at Templeville Road.

Coached by former Leinster flanker Ciaran Potts, Mary's are beginning to look the part.

Ballymena were 24-7 down at the interval having conceding tries to Matt D'Arcy, Shaun McCarthy, Conor McPhillips and Stephen Grissing.

The Braidmen did improve in the second period, putting winger Tommy Seymour over for a brace, but scrum half D'Arcy had Mary's out of sight with his second score.

TERENURE COLLEGE 16 CLONTARF 19, Lakelands Park

Scorers: Terenure College: Try: Brian Blaney; Con: Conor Gildea; Pens: David McAllister 2; Drop: David McAllister
Clontarf: Tries: Michael Keating 2; Pens: Martin Dufficy 3

Michael Keating book-ended Clontarf's second win of the AIB League campaign with tries as they beat Terenure College in a lively Dublin derby at Lakelands.

Winger Keating, a member of Belvedere College's Leinster Senior Cup-winning side of last season, crossed the whitewash after 4 and 79 minutes.

Terenure took a 6-5 advantage into half-time thanks to two David McAllister penalties.

Despite leaking three penalties to Martin Dufficy, 'Nure kept ahead through Brian Blaney (try) and McAllister (drop goal) before Keating had the last laugh.

UCD 7 CORK CONSTITUTION 9, Belfield

Scorers: UCD: Try: Kevin McLaughlin; Con: Killian Lett
Cork Constitution: Pens: Jeremy Manning, Darragh Lyons; Drop: Jeremy Manning

Defending champions Cork Constitution struggled past UCD in a dour AIB League encounter at Belfield.

Munster's Mick O'Driscoll, Darragh Hurley and Jeremy Manning lined out for Con but the students were far from overawed and led 7-6 at half-time.

A well-worked try, scored by flanker Kevin McLaughlin and converted by Killian Lett, shot UCD ahead before Manning replied with a drop goal and penalty.

Manning spent time in the sin-bin before an injury forced him off, however Darragh Lyons managed to boot the match-winning penalty.

YOUNG MUNSTER 9 OLD BELVEDERE 13, Tom Clifford Park

Scorers: Young Munster: Pens: Mark Connolly 3
Old Belvedere: Tries: Felix Jones, Dave Mongan; Pen: Eoin O'Malley

Old Belvedere continued their impressive start to the new AIB League campaign as they edged out hosts Young Munster at Tom Clifford Park.

Leinster centre Eoin O'Malley overcame a calf injury to feature for Belvo and kick a vital second half penalty.

Mark Connolly landed two penalties to give the Cookies a 6-0 interval lead in their first Division One home match since 2002.

But O'Malley's kick and two unconverted tries from Felix Jones and Dave Mongan saw Belvo take the spoils.

louthandproud

Spent years playing for attending and supporting Shannon, glad to see things are still going well down there, haven't been back there for a while, either to Shannon games, or indeed Munster in Thomand Park.

AIL may have lost its prestige since the Provinces took over but once Shannon always Shannon.

One day soon a weekend in Limerick, where I can go to both.

There is an isle!

Harpy

shannon through and through here aswell.. didn't make it to the match today unfortunatley.happy we got a result today after the battering last week.. looking forward to the match against garryowen next week.hopefully we'll get a result.

louthandproud

Harpy wrote: »

shannon through and through here aswell.. didn't make it to the match today unfortunatley.happy we got a result today after the battering last week.. looking forward to the match against garryowen next week.hopefully we'll get a result.

Ah a good old Limerick derby game, remember when there used to be 10-12'000 at these on a Saturday afternoon. Black pudding in Bowles after the game.

Goodluck2me

I was at the UCD Con game today, and UCD were within a whisker of a great scalp. Lett missed two penalties, and also witnesses one of those "what happens next" moment, when Collidge had a penalty under the posts, it was tee'd up and ready to go and Lett kicked a cross field to The winger aherne who nearly, but didnt score. Then after a few moment the Magners league ref was told by his touch judge the proper rule, and a scrum was decided back to the place of penalty. All very unusual!

Shan75

louthandproud wrote: »

Ah a good old Limerick derby game, remember when there used to be 10-12'000 at these on a Saturday afternoon. Black pudding in Bowles after the game.

Yes those were the days especially the Shannon v Young Munster games which had the biggest attendances of all.I remember a few times when we were packed in like sardines at these especially some of the great Cup games.

Anyway great for Shannon to get the win and it will be interesting to see what kind of crowd turn up next Friday night in Thomond.Hopefully Shannon can beat Garryowen after the disaster of the semi final last season.

It would be nice to see Munsters doing well too but they have had a bad start.

siochain

there's two other divisions

DIVISION TWO:

Belfast Harlequins 13 Ballynahinch 16, Deramore Park, 1.30pm
Bruff 18 Thomond 16, Killballyowen Park
Clonakilty 13 Greystones 14, Shannonvale Cross
Lansdowne 37 Instonians 6, The RDS
Old Crescent 19 Dublin University 13, Rosbrien
UCC 26 Highfield 6, The Mardyke
Wanderers 6 Malone 17, Merrion Road
Bective Rangers 0 De La Salle Palmerston 0, Donnybrook (2.30pm, Sunday, October 12)

DIVISION THREE:

Ards 13 Corinthians 21, Hamilton Park
Barnhall 5 Connemara 26, Parsonstown
Nenagh Ormond 3 County Carlow 14, New Ormond Park
Old Wesley 34 Banbridge 17, Donnybrook
Rainey Old Boys 10 Midleton 57, Hatrick Park
Sundays Well 11 Portadown 22, Musgrave Park
Suttonians 23 Queen's University 19, John J McDowell Memorial Ground
Waterpark 19 Naas 28, Ballinakill

Malmedicine

goodluck2me wrote: »

I was at the UCD Con game today, and UCD were within a whisker of a great scalp. Lett missed two penalties, and also witnesses one of those "what happens next" moment, when Collidge had a penalty under the posts, it was tee'd up and ready to go and Lett kicked a cross field to The winger aherne who nearly, but didnt score. Then after a few moment the Magners league ref was told by his touch judge the proper rule, and a scrum was decided back to the place of penalty. All very unusual!

Gutted for them, big turnaround since last weeks abysmal performance against Belvo. HUGE match against Dungannon next week!!!!

bamboozle

Great win at the death for Clontarf over Terenure- suprised to see garryowen lose to Rock especially as they seem to have a sizable Munster contingent playing for them, so Rock must be worth keeping an eye on this season.
I'd say we'll have a very competitive league this season as all teams want to be in the top 8.

themont85

Rock are looking good, two huge wins as their openers.

omad65

yea, good win for clontarf. Hopefully this early good start is a sign of good things to come this season!

bamboozle

yeah 'tarf have a monster pack this year, might be a bit weak in the back’s if the front line players get a few injuries, but definitely the strongest pack we’ve had in years

Amz

Another good win for Belvo down in Young Munster. Hopefully they keep this up. Their new number 8 has been very impressive.

NaiveMelodies

Amz wrote: »

Another good win for Belvo down in Young Munster. Hopefully they keep this up. Their new number 8 has been very impressive.

Who is he?

Amz

Leo Auva’a, he's a 24 year old from NZ.

Goodluck2me

Malmedicine wrote: »

Gutted for them, big turnaround since last weeks abysmal performance against Belvo. HUGE match against Dungannon next week!!!!

You playing for college, I would probably knwo you if you do?

Malmedicine

Yeah I play the odd time if I get a chance, and its collidge

Goodluck2me

Malmedicine wrote: »

and its collidge

you pass :0

Shan75

Shannon v Garryowen: Poor enough game and the draw was probably a fair result.Lots of aimless kicking and turnovers and handling errors despite the good conditions.Decent turnout for the game though.Seemed to be about 5000 or so.

d-gal

http://www.irishrugby.ie/636_431.php

all the results

blackrock yet again convincing. suprise loss for cork con and buccs unfortunate to lose again. Fair play to Galwegians for winning again, very young squad so always good to see

d-gal

table aswell

http://www.irishrugby.ie/636_6878.php

Danger_Dave

Clontarf beat St.Marys 30-19. It was 30-5 for until the last 10 minutes. Mary's took the lead in the first minute with a gift from the clontarf defense. After that some great off-loading got clontarf over the gain line and it created some fantastic tries.

bamboozle

Garryowen still without a win after 3 games! though they've played 3 tough teams, 3 Leinster teams in the top 4, 'Tarf and Blackrock looking good,

Peadar06

Terenure also without a win this year, and they have a tough match next week against Shannon, they should have beaten Clontarf in Lakelands but we will never know.

Goodluck2me

Shan75 wrote: »

Decent turnout for the game though.Seemed to be about 5000 or so.

:eek:

Amz

Another win for Belvo against Dolphin. Leaves them 2nd in the table after 3 games.

Hopefully they'll keep this form up.

themont85

Rock sound impressive going on results. Great to see Michael Keating for Clontarf going so well, was an excellent player last year for Belvedere.

d-gal

I wish this thread got more notice, its annoying to see people gloating about how much they know abot rugby in the provincial/international threads yet they couldn't name the amount of teams in division 1! Its a pity coz there are some emerging talents and the AIL is on the way back up in my opinion.

Oh and even though I dislike them, fair play to corinthians on a great start to Div3, geeting a bit of help from a couple of connacht contracted players but seem set to be promoted this year

bamboozle

This season the AIL 1st division is going to be very competitive as it will be split into 2 sections of 8 teams from next season on, these 8 teams then play each other on a home and away basis with 2 semi finals at the end of the season, 3 of the semi finalists come from 1A and the 4th will come from 1B, so the pressure is on for all clubs to be in 1A cause that’s where most of the best players will end up.
If club rugby is going to provide a decent standard we cant really expect to have more than 8 teams in a top division.

If I had my say I’d go back to the way it was when it first started, 1st and 2nd division and then the provincial leagues