Derby clash in store in Munster Junior Cup

THERE will be an all-Clare clash in the next round of the Munster Junior Cup after Scariff and Ennis both won their first-round games at the weekend.

Scariff travelled to Cork and overcame the challenge of a fancied Muskerry side, while Ennis justified favouritism when overcoming Charleville at Ennis on a 24-6 scoreline.

Ennis 24
Charleville 6

BRANDON Grant (2) and Damian O’Connor were try scorers for Ennis in this win over Charleville at Drumbiggle on a day when Dylan Tynan O’Mahony kicked three conversions and a penalty.
Ennis got off to a dream start and took the lead inside a minute after Brandon Grant went over for a try under the posts. Tynan O’Mahoney added the points from the conversion.
Charleville hit back and won two penalties, which were converted, to cut the deficit to the minimum.
Ennis went over for what appeared to be a try in the corner but the referee called play back and awarded a line-out. However, the home side finished the half strongly and Tynan O’Mahoney converted a penalty to leave the home side 10-6 in front at half-time.
Ennis dominated the first quarter of the second half and extended their lead when Damian O’Connor crashed over for a try, which was converted, leaving the score at 17-6.
At this stage, the winners made some changes and Charleville piled on the pressure but the home side defended well and finished the game with a breakout try from Grant in the closing minutes. Again O’Mahoney added the points to seal the Ennis side’s place in the next round.
It is back to league action this week for Ennis who will have Newcastle West as visitors.
Ennis: Saren Butler; Paul Finnucane, Brandon Grant, Damian O’Connor, Frank Coffey; Niall Nevin (captain), Dylan Tynan O’Mahoney; Conor Mahoney, Keelan Flynn, Jason Considine; Dara Killeen, Frank Holly; Michael McInerney, Liam Ryan, Kieran Reid.
Subs: Joe Joe Kelly for Reid; Joe Molony for Ryan; Paul Lynch for Considine; Dara O’Loughlin for Killeen.

Bright start gives Scariff control

Scariff 23
Muskerry 21

SCARIFF sealed an away win in the junior cup and set up a mouth-watering encounter with local rivals, Ennis in the next round, when they proved too strong for Muskerry.
Scariff dominated for much of the game and, at one stage, led 23-6. The Cork side staged a strong rally but it wasn’t enough to deny the East Clare side from progressing.
Conor Minogue scored three tries for Scariff and James Kelly converted two and also landed a penalty.
Before the all-Clare clash, it is back to league action and this week, Scariff will be away to Presentation. A week later, they will meet Ennis in the league before the sides meet in the cup the following week.
Scariff: Joe McGrath; Colin Bugler; Bernard McGrath; Dara McNamarra (captain),  Michael Madden, Conor Minogue, Darren McNamara, Robbie Madden, Tom Cronin, James Kelly, Tyrone Elliot, Steven Madden, Shane Gibbons, Trevor Kelly, Conor McNamara.
Replacements: Rory Slattery, Sean McGrath, Joe O’Shaughnessy.

St Senan’s fighting spirit not enough

St Senan’s 12
Young Munsters 21

FOR the past number of years, St Senan’s have played Young Munster for the Kiely Cup, a competition held to honour Cyril Kiely, who was a past president and founder member of St Senan’s.
In their latest meeting, the first 10 minutes provided a lot of action in the middle of the pitch but neither team could forge any clear-cut opportunities to break the deadlock.
It was the 11th minute when the first score came after some strong forward play by the visitors to push Senan’s back over their own try line and touch down. The conversion kick was good, making the score 0-7 in favour of the visitors.
This try unsettled Senan’s composure and they conceded a further two converted tries in the next eight minutes, leaving them trailing 0-21 with just a quarter of the game played.
Following this early setback, Senan’s regrouped and began to control the game. There was some very good open play by the backs created for them by some impressive work by the forwards in the rucks and scrums. On 28 minutes, after moving the ball well along the line, Barry Murphy broke free to give Senan’s a well-deserved try, Declan Collins made no mistake with the conversion to reduce Young Munsters lead. There were no further scores before half-time although both sides had near misses.
The second half began in the same manner as the first with neither side able to carve out any clear-cut scoring opportunities. As the half progressed, Senan’s grew in confidence and had the visitors under pressure and this pressure paid off in the 26th minute when Eoin McNeil took full advantage of some good line play by the backs to run in Senan’s second try out wide. A good conversion attempt by Declan Collins just failed to hit the target.
Despite continuing to pressurise, Young Munsters, the home side, found it increasingly difficult to make any clear-cut opportunities to add to the score tally.
Senan’s can take a lot of positives from it, especially with the performances of some of the younger lads who are making their way into the squad.
St Senan’s return to league action when they welcome Clonmel to Jimmy Slattery Park this Sunday for a 2.30pm kick-off. 
St Senan’s: Michael Cusack, Fergal Lawlor, Tony O’Brien, Aaron Skerritt, Aidan O’Callaghan, Eamonn O’Donoghue, Jaymee Keogh, Mike O’Connell, Darragh McCoy, Noel Hoban, Fernando Gallant, Dylan Sonneman, Neil McDonagh, Barry Murphy, Declan Collins.
Replacements:  David Webb, Gary Shaw, Eoghan McNeill, Pa Ryan, Duane Horkin, Jake Egan, Eamon Martin.

 

Impressive win for U-13s

Ennis 29
Young Munster 12

ENNIS maintained their 100% record with seven wins out of seven in the North Munster U-13 League last Sunday by beating Young Munster at Derryknockane in Limerick.
This was a must-win game to keep Ennis’ league title run alive and although starting poorly, they gradually got to grips against their opposition and with seven minutes played, Ikem Udwueru raced in under the posts after some good handling from O’Brien and Carmody to get the ball out wide to the winger. Mescall converted for full points.
Having taken control of the game, they registered their second try when Luke Carmody crossed the line after some good running from Mescall who uncharacteristically missed the conversion under the posts. For the rest of the first half, Ennis struggled and the home side dominated. After a passing error in midfield, inside Ennis’ 22, Young Munsters went in for an easy try that was converted to make the half-time score of 12-7 for the winners.
Five minutes into the second half, Luke Carmody scored his second of the day brushing off despairing tackles during his 35m run through the home defence. Mescall duly converted to make the score 19-7. With 10 minutes left, David Mescall kicked a penalty after Munsters were penalised for being offside, while defending inside their own 22. Young Munster weren’t finished and responded with another unconverted try with five minutes left. With the clock running down, there was still enough time for the try of the day when number 8, Niall O’Brien, picked from the base of the scrum and ran over 60m to score under the posts. Mescall’s conversion completed a 29-12 win for Ennis.      
Ennis’ pre-Christmas league game against Garryown, that was called off due to inclement weather has been refixed for this Sunday at the showgrounds at 12 noon. A win will secure a league victory for this very talented panel of players that are showing great potential.
Ennis Panel: C Cahill (E Ó Ceallaigh), I Ugwueru (try) (M Iwalewa), L Carmody (2 trys), R Cahill (S Maher), M Cabey (C McGann), D Mescall (1 pen, 3 Cons), D Ó Sé, M Fitzgerald, J Colleran, C Sheehy (A Cleland), E Leen, R Corey, C Talty, N O’Brien (Try), A Culligan; J Warren, E Grace, D Kirwan, B Rynne, S Knox, T Hannon, S Magliocco, C Chapman, J Hartigan, S Hogan, C Keane, D Kelly, C Keogh, B Monahan.

Trial match for Ennis U-12s a great success

ENNIS RFC U-12’s got the second half of their season off to a great start on Sunday last with a trial 13-a-side game against Thomond from Limerick.
Played in spring-like conditions, this was a massive step up for a group used to the sanctity of mini rugby. It was agreed with the visitors to play the game in 4 x 15 minute quarters.
In the first period of play, Ennis were under the cosh a little, struggling to contain a massive Thomond pack and Ennis found themselves behind by 14-0 at the end of this period despite some dogged defending. However, after a dusting down and some great leadership on the field from a number of key players, including Joseph Connaughton, Stephen Dolan and Oisín Mangan, Ennis exploded into life.
Nine unanswered tries were to follow accompanied with seven conversions ensuring Ennis cruised to a 57 points to 14 win. Sean Dolan was the star of the show with four superbly taken tries from full-back. A massive forward effort from Aaron Hennessey, Eoin Clancy, Laim Wall, Eoghan Wallace, Conall Bolger, Lorchan Clancy, James Baker and James Nugent ensured far quicker ball for the backs. Good handling and natural speed ensured further tries were scored out wide by Morgan Garry, Philip Talty, Tom O’Brien and Frank Roche. Tom O’Brien added three conversions and Joseph Connaughton four. One other try was scored from Elias Kunz who also had a fine performance as did Shane Brennan and Ronan Lannigan in midfield.
With a busy schedule ahead over the coming months a high standard has been set for the group to continue developing towards youths rugby.