TERENURE COLLEGE 8 DUBLIN UNIVERSITY 25, Lakelands Park (played on Friday)
Scorers: Terenure College: Try: Jamie Glynn; Pen: James Thornton
Dublin University: Tries: Arthur Greene, Max Kearney, Jack Kelly; Cons: James Fennelly 2; Pens: James Fennelly 2
HT: Terenure College 0 Dublin University 15
Three-try Dublin University climbed into the top half of the Division 1A table after running out 25-8 winners over bottom side Terenure College in their Friday Night Lights clash at Lakelands Park.
Trinity made it back-to-back wins with Arthur Greene, Max Kearney and returning Leinster ‘A’ captain Jack Kelly all touching down. Terenure, who trailed 15-0 at half-time, improved in the second half but it was not until injury-time that a neat Jamie Glynn finish gave them a elusive try.
A hat-trick hero last week against Young Munster, full-back Michael Silvester had a strong impact for the students in the early stages at Lakelands, while Liam Turner, the latest player to roll off Blackrock College’s famous schools rugby production line, almost scored at the end of an incisive move.
A powerful run out of defence by former Leinster winger Sam Coghlan Murray seemed to lift the pressure off Terenure’s shoulders, only for Trinity to respond with the opening try in the 12th minute. James Hickey and Kearney made initial drives towards the line, but it was lock Green who eventually touched down to the right of the posts.
Influential out-half James Fennelly converted and although ‘Nure started to settle as the first quarter progressed, they remained scoreless as a relieved Trinity defence watched Coghlan Murray’s overcook his pass to waiting winger Sam Dardis and a try went a-begging.
Indeed, the hosts fell further behind in the 29th minute when Fennelly knocked over a penalty, and a second try soon followed for Tony Smeeth’s well-drilled Trinity side. Captain Colm Hogan and Turner threatened on both wings before flanker Kearney supplied the finishing touches to a multi-phase attack which ground the ‘Nure defence into submission.
Fennelly’s conversion attempt rebounded off a post, leaving it 15-0 at the interval. James Blaney’smen needed the breaks to fall their way on the resumption and the sin-binning of Trinity prop Bart Vermeulen offered them a chance to get back in the hunt. With their set piece moves not quite producing dividends, James Thornton was called on to kick at goal in the 49th minute and open their account.
However, in spite of their numerical advantage, ‘Nure leaked three points to Fennelly at the other end, and once restored to their full complement, the Trinity pack kept the visitors on the front foot. A brilliant Kyle McCoy lineout steal thwarted them, though, and a series of handling errors also stopped the white shirts in their tracks.
Nonetheless, Trinity were able to seal the result when another attacking scrum spelled danger for Terenure and outside centre Kelly cut a superb line to power over for a high-quality seven-pointer. ‘Nure did at least finish with a flourish, switching play to the right where the ever-industrious Glynn, the former UCD scrum half and captain, jinked through for an eye-catching consolation score.
TERENURE COLLEGE: Sam Coghlan Murray; Harry Moore, Stephen O’Neill, Robbie Carroll, Sam Dardis; James Thornton, Jamie Glynn; Karl O’Brien, Robbie Smyth, Tiarnan Creagh, Michael Melia (capt), Matthew Caffrey, Kyle McCoy, Rory Murray, Eoin Joyce.
Replacements: Adam Clarkin, Killian Bolger, Aaron Ryan, Erik Wijten, Kevin O’Neill.
DUBLIN UNIVERSITY: Michael Silvester; Liam Turner, Jack Kelly, James Hickey, Colm Hogan (capt); James Fennelly, Conor Lowndes; Bart Vermeulen, Joe Horan, Dylan Doyle, Arthur Greene, Jack Dunne, Paddy Nulty, Max Kearney, Niall O’Riordan.
Replacements: William Jennings, Thomas Clarkson, Alex MacDonald, Tomas Killeen, Robert Russell.