UCD too good for Nure in Leinster Senior League semi-final…
By Daire Walsh
A second-half try from replacement James Murray proved decisive at Lakelands on Saturday afternoon, as UCD kept their quest for back-to-back Leinster Senior League Cup successes alive with a narrow semi-final triumph over Terenure College.
The two sides had met in last year’s decider at Donnybrook, which saw the Students recovering from a ten-point half-time deficit to secure the honours on a 23-18 scoreline.
The hosts have made a blistering start to life in the All-Ireland League’s top-flight, though, and despite battling against a fierce breeze during the opening period, they opened the scoring courtesy of a fifth-minute penalty from out-half James Thornton.
Thornton – who was lining out against his former club – was selected ahead of regular No 10 Mark O’Neill for this encounter, and he doubled ‘Nure’s advantage with a similar place-kick effort on the stroke of ten minutes.
UCD (who were missing several players because of their involvement with Leinster ‘A’ on Friday night) were being pressurised inside their own half by the powerfully-assembled ‘Nure pack, but they subsequently opened their account with 12 minutes gone on the clock.
Fly-half Liam Bourke was on target from a 25-metre set-play, and this helped to ease the nerves of the visiting team. Following a big push on the left-flank two minutes later, inside centre Stephen Murphy drove over for the opening try of the game.
Bourke was on hand to majestically split the posts from the resulting bonus kick, as UCD gained the ascendancy for the first time. The Students had to
a ‘Nure storm just before the half-hour mark, but after eventually soaking up the pressure, strong work by prop Gordon Frayne provided the platform for Holland to register their second touchdown of the half.
Bourke was wide of the mark from his third kick at goal, and with flanker James O’Neill finishing off a maul towards the UCD whitewash two minutes before the break, James Blaney’s men were firmly in contention when the action resumed.
Thornton’s missed conversion ensured that the gap remained at four points (15-11), but with the aforementioned Mark O’Neill, Kevin O’Dwyer, Kevin Buckley and Rory Harrison all entering the fray, ‘Nure sensed that the game was there for the taking.
However, they suffered a major set-back on the hour, when Murray broke through underneath the posts to create significant daylight between the teams. A routine bonus kick by Garry Ringrose – who assumed kicking duties from the departed Bourke – further embellished UCD’s advantage, before the sin-binning of Donagh Lawler forced them on the back-foot again.
In the absence of the openside flanker, ‘Nure breached the UCD line for a second time, with excellent approach play by Mark O’Neill and Thornton enabling full-back James O’Donoghue to cross over for a converted score.
This set-up a nerve-wracking finale, and when ‘Nure opted for touch rather than the posts five minutes from time, a big push for the line was anticipated. Indeed, Mark O’Neill and Keith Dooley were inches away from snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, but UCD ultimately held firm to secure their place in the final alongside Clontarf.
TERENURE COLLEGE SCORERS : J. O’Neill (1 try), J. O’Donoghue (1 try), J. Thornton (2 penalties, 1 conversion)
UCD SCORERS: S. Murphy (1 try), B. Holland (1 try), J. Murray (1 try), L. Bourke (1 penalty, 1 conversion), G. Ringrose (1 conversion)
TERENURE COLLEGE: James O’Donoghue; Shane Donovan, Stephen O’Neill, Graham Coffey, Harry Moore; James Thornton, Kevin O’Neill; Gary Hamilton, Robert Smyth, Keith Dooley; Fergal Walsh, John Dever; Robert Duke, James O’Neill, Kyle McCoy.
Replacements: Kevin Buckley for Smyth, Rory Harrison for Dooley, Kevin O’Dwyer for Walsh, Mark O’Neill for Kevin O’Neill (all 55), Dooley for Harrison (73).
UCD: Billy Dardis; Tom Fletcher, Garry Ringrose, Stephen Murphy, Harry McNulty; Liam Bourke, Bobby Holland; Gordon Frayne, Risteard Byrne, Liam Hyland; Brian Cawley, Emmet MacMahon; Josh Murphy, Donagh Lawler, Shane Grannell.
Replacements: Shane O’Meara for Holland (40+2), James Harrison for Byrne (half-time), James Murray for Bourke (46), Byrne for Frayne (66).
Referee: Cillian Hogan (IRFU).