RESULTS from Saturday 5th February

Division 1
Galwegians	16 - 25	Clontarf
Dungannon	21 - 24	Garryowen
Cork Con.	22 - 11	Lansdowne
Co. Carlow	7 - 17	Shannon
Buccaneers	20 - 29	UCD
Blackrock Coll.	19 - 19	Dublin Uni.
Ballymena	6 - 5	Belfast Harlequins

Division 2
Thomond	34 - 13	Young Munster
Old Belvedere	22 - 7	Terenure Coll.
Midleton	15 - 26	U.C.C
Highfield	6 - 12	Barnhall
Dolphin	34 - 12	Waterpark
DLSP	11 - 16	Old Crescent
Bective	20 - 13	Malone
Ballynahinch	6 - 8	St. Mary's Coll.

Division 3
Portadown	29 - 0	Old Wesley
Instonians	52 - 21	Skerries
Corinthians	11 - 16	Suttonians
Clonakilty	22 - 12	Wanderers
City of Derry	20 - 12	QUB
Bruff	20 - 24	Ards
Banbridge	13 - 19	Sundays Well
Ballina	8 - 62	Greystones

ULSTER AIL ROUND-UP

Division 1

The big derby match of the day was at Eaton Park, where Paddy Wallace was the kicking hero as his two first-half penalties gave Ballymena a 6-5 derby win over Belfast Harlequins.
The Ballymena pack dominated the proceedings in the first half on what was a bitterly cold day at Eaton Park, the Quins side suffering from the loss of 4 players to the Irish Un21 side playing in Italy.
The only bright spark was a fine individual try scored by  Ian Humphreys in the final quarter, but when his 2 late drop goal attempts missed the target, 'Quins six-game winning run was halted.

Dungannon had a tough encounter against Garryowen at Stevenson Park where Garryowen outhalf Billy Treacy was the man-of-the-hour, as his side snatched a 24-21 victory.
Treacy grabbed a late try to deny 'Gannon their second straight win, after Jeremy Davidson's side had led through Gillan Carruthers' early converted try and a John McGuckin penalty.
A second touch down arrived in the second half for Carruthers as 'Gannon claimed their second bonus point of the season.

Division 2

Ballynahinch’s hope of claiming an automatic promotion spot took a nosedive at Ballymacarn Park when a controversial decision by the referee denied Hinch a penalty in front of the posts in injury time.
Joel Callaghan give the home side the lead in the 10th minute with a penalty goal, Johnny Sexton replying for St Mary’s six minutes later. Leinster centre John McWheeney scored the only try of the game in the 26th minute. Sexton failed to add the extras to leave the score at half time 3-8.
After sustaining 20 minutes of pressure in the second half the Hinch finished the game on top. Joel Callaghan added his second penalty goal in the 75th minute to close the gap to 2 points. In injury time the referee signaled Hinch had another penalty in front of the posts, but when the home side gained no advantage he failed to return for the penalty. A bonus point was all that was secured in this one.

 Hinch v St Mary's

Malone traveled to Donnybrook to face in inform Bective Rangers and returned home with a bonus point after a storming second half performance. Trailing by 20 points after 20 minutes the Malone men had to dig deep to keep themselves in the game after the home pack had overran them in the loose and tight.
Bective opened the scoring in the 7th minute when wing forward Dan Crean finished off a great run by centre Stephen O’Connor to which Fergal Campion added the conversion. Three minutes later Bective number 8 Damian Hall crossed for their second score which Campion failed to convert. Their third try followed after a mix up in the Malone defence gave Bective winger James Hardy a clear run for the line. Campion added the extras. HT 20-0
Stuart Duncan was the inspiration for the Malone come back, the veteran 2nd Row leading from the front. Philip Coulter converted two quick penalty goals early in the second half but poor handling in the back line cost them any chance of a score as they began to dominate. In the 68th minute De Wett Bekker crossed for the visitors and when Coulter converted Malone had managed to secure a vital bonus point.

Division 3

Ards had a great away victory against old rivals Bruff. In a quick flowing game the visitors opened the scoring in the 8th minute when number 8 Stephen Rodgers scored a try, which was converted by Ajay Derwin.
Bruff immediately hit back with a by Brian Carroll try which was converted by Mike Lynch who then added two penalty goals in the 33rd and 35th minute to increase the home side lead. HT 13-7
Derwin struck back with a penalty goal for Ards in the 44th minute then four minutes later Chris Agnew out paced the Bruff cover to score, Derwin again added the extras. Bruff squeezed back into the lead in the 55th minute when Aidan O’Brien crossed for a try, which Lynch converted.
However, it was Ards winger Chris Agnew that had the final say when he powered past the Bruff cover to score again in the 65th minute, Derwin converting to bring the Ards tally to 24pts and secure a vital away victory.

Portadown earned the result of the weekend when they won their first AIL game of the season defeating Old Wesley at Chambers Park 29pts – 0pts securing a vital bonus point on the way.
The home side opened the scoring in the 8th minute when wing forward Richard Johnston charged down a Wesley clearance kick for winger Chris Homes to gather and cross for the score. Barry Gribben converted. Three minutes Ports scrumhalf Davy Whitten snapped up a loose ball close to his line and raced the length of the pitch to score, Gribben again added the extras.
The homes side ran in their third try when centre Darrell Porter raced clear and again Gribben added the conversion to give the home side a 21-0 advantage with only 15 minutes played.
Gribben converted a penalty goal just before half time to stretch his teams lead to 24 points, but in a much more even second half the home side had to wait until near the end to get that all important fourth try and the bonus point. The hero of the hour was captain Geoff Caldwell, the prop forcing his way over from a 5-metre lineout.

At Shaw’s Bridge Instonians also claimed a 5 vital league points when the emphatically defeated Skerries 57-21. The home side took the lead in the 6th minute when winger Michael Orchin-McKeever raced clear. Kiwi centre Nopera Stewart scored the first of his three tries in the 10th minute with Sean Flynn adding the conversion.
Skerries responded with a Derek Keane try, which he converted and this was followed by a penalty goal from Jimmy Dempsey.  Sean Flynn responded with a penalty goal in the 35th minute. Inst increased their lead when Andy Hamlin went over after a quick thinking by Flynn put him clear the latter adding the extras.
The half drew to a close with Flynn adding a further 3 points with a drop goal while Skerries replied with two Darrell Sharreen penalties to leave the home side with an advantage at half-time 25-16.
Inst kept their tally ticking over with another Flynn penalty goal in the 44th minute and then Stewart sealed the bonus point when he intercepted. Flynn added the conversion. Skerries fought back with a Geoff Duff try but in the final quarter the Ulster men cut loose with three further tries from Luke Brewin, Stewart and Gareth McClintock.

At Rifle Park the Banbridge bad run continued when they lost to Cork side Sundays Well. Poor tackling and a missed penalties cost the Ban men dear.
The Ulster men started strongly and were rewarded with an early Albert Finney penalty, but 20 minutes into the first half Well full back Jonathan Lynch came into the line to make the extra man to crossed between the posts.
Finney added a second penalty to keep the home side in touch, and then the Well scored again, this time it was an interception by Mike Murphy who ran in from 40 metres. Lynch added the conversion to leave Ban trailing at halftime 6-14.
Banbridge had a much better second half but the visitors gradually built up the pressure on the Banbridge line and in the 63rd minute Lynch crossed for his second try after poor tackling from the home side opened the door. The full back added the extra two points to take his side into a comfortable lead.
To the credit of the Ban men they never gave in and Adam Waugh crashed over for a try in the final five minutes and when Finney added the extras a bonus point had been secured.

The Division 3 local derby took place at Judges Road where City of Derry entertained the Students of Queens University.  This was a vital game for Derry as they keep their hopes of a play-off place alive, and the bounce of the ball favoured them twice in the opening 20 minutes. In the 14th minute Richard McCarter was quick to react to a loose ball on the ground, kicking on and winning the race for the touchdown. Five minutes later in a carbon copy of the first score the Derry full back Ian Orr won the race for his kick ahead to secure the try. McCarter added the two conversions to settle the Derry men into a comfortable 14 – 0 lead.
In the 23rd minute McCarter increased the home advantage to 17pts before Queens started to reply. Hooker Richard Carleton opened the student’s account when he was driven over at a 5-metre lineout in the 35th minute. McCarter replied for Derry with another penalty goal deep in injury time to take the scores at half time to 20 – 5.
Queens only reply in the second half was a converted try by winger Jonathan Rainey in the 61st minute, so the vital league points went to Derry as they now target a play-off position.