DIVISION 1B:
ST. MARY’S COLLEGE 9 DUBLIN UNIVERSITY 5, Templeville Road
Scorers: St. Mary’s College: Pens: Sean Kearns 3
Dublin University: Try: Tim Maupin
HT: St. Mary’s College 9 Dublin University 0
Meanwhile, on Friday night, three first half penalties from Sean Kearns proved decisive at Templeville Road as St. Mary’s College were crowned Division 1B champions with a 9-5 defeat of Dublin University.
Kearns’ nine-point haul had the hosts in the driving seat by half-time, and even though Trinity narrowed the gap with a Tim Maupin try on the resumption, Mary’s held out to secure automatic promotion straight back to Division 1A for next season.
Mary’s had started this top of the table clash in determined fashion, and just eight minutes in, an excellent long range penalty from young out-half Kearns broke the deadlock.
The influential number 10 doubled his side’s advantage on 14 minutes, but the home side then suffered a setback when full-back Steve Toal-Lennon was forced out of the action through injury – with Terry Kennedy taking his place.
Trinity’s Tommy Whittle missed an excellent opportunity to narrow the gap, though, and thanks to a third successful penalty from Kearns, the 2012 Ulster Bank League champions brought a 9-0 lead into the interval.
Trinity kept Mary’s on the back foot for large spells after the restart, however, and even though Whittle’s 48th-minute place-kick rebounded off the woodwork, they finally breached the stern Mary’s resistance 16 minutes from time.
After the ball was recycled to the right flank, American international winger Maupin squeezed through in the corner for his 11th try of the season. The unconverted score set-up a tension-filled finale, but with Mary’s largely controlling the tempo of the play, they finished with four points to spare over the second-placed students.
ST. MARY’S COLLEGE: Steve Toal-Lennon; Ryan O’Loughlin, Marcus O’Driscoll, Ivan Dineen, Darragh Fanning (capt); Sean Kearns, David Fanagan; Tom O’Reilly, Hugo Kean, Brian McGovern, Ciaran Ruddock, David O’Connor, Kevin Sheahan, David Aspil, Mark Fallon.
Replacements: Stephen O’Brien, Emmet Ferron, Ian Cullinane, Terry Kennedy, Conor Gilsenan.
DUBLIN UNIVERSITY: Conor Kearns; Tim Maupin, Michael Courtney, Paddy Lavelle, Max McFarland; Tommy Whittle, Angus Lloyd; Eric O’Sullivan, Paddy Finlay, Andy Keating, Jack Burke, Raef Tyrrell, Nick McCarthy (capt), Brian du Toit, Tom Ryan.
Replacements: Warren Larkin, Tom Collis, Cian O’Dwyer, Brian Slater, Jack Fitzpatrick.