Trinity 39pts – UL Bohemians 21pts; October 3rd 2015

Trinity returned to College Park for the first time this season when they entertained UL Bohemians from Limerick. The Students celebrated their homecoming with a convincing win, but they went about it the hard way as their indiscipline kept giving the visitors lifelines.

Bohs started strongly and forced two kickable penalties which their expert left footed kicker converted with no problems.

Trinity put some pressure on the Limerick outfit and from a quick penalty Angus Lloyd linked with flanker Conor Gleeson who set up quick ball. The second wave of attack featured hooker Jack Boland feeding centre Kingsley McGowan who stepped his man before putting speedster Max McFarland away outside for a superbly taken try.

Bohs kept coming back and getting field position,  from which they would get penalties.  They went ahead 9-7. Both teams kicked a penalty and the teams went into half time 12-10 to the visitors.

Some strong words from the coaches at half time seemed to rev the students up and from the kick off the team played some dynamic rugby.  Eventually full back Conor Kearns was put away.  He got stopped just short of the line and from the recycle, Out Half Jack McDermott announced his return to the 1st XV by stepping inside the cover to score. Bohemians refused to go away! and came back with another two penalties to stay in touch.

Back came the Students with some nice interplay and after several pushes for the line Brian Du Toit aided by Jack Burke drove over the line. Another penalty gave the visitors their final score 24-21 to Trinity.

The home team then cut loose and scored two more tries. Out half Jack McDermott scored under the posts for his second try and then the Students possibly kept the best to last when the team went through multiple phases before the backs cut loose.  Paddy Lavelle broke the line to put supporting wing Tim Maupin into space. Tim took the ball on before feeding his wing partner Max McFarland for a sensational try, his second on the day.

It was good for the Students to get into the win column after a series of tough games on top of the Universities World Cup games. The lesson to be learned was that indiscipline and sloppy play kept the opposition in the game. You cannot do that against top teams in this league.

Next week Trinity host their first ever AIL floodlight game in College Park with an 8pm kick off V undefeated St Mary’s College.

Trinity team; 15 Conor Kearns, 14 Tim Maupin, 13 Kingsley McGowan, 12 Paddy Lavelle, 11 Max McFarland, 10 Jack McDermott, 9 Angus Lloyd (Brian Slater 68), 1 Eric O’Sullivan, 2 Jack Boland (Matt McCann 65), 3 Tom Collis (Andy Keating 50), 4 Jack Burke, 5 Raef Tyrell (Nick McCarthy 60), 6 Conor Gleeson , 7 Brian Du Toit, 8 Tom Ryan

Other scores;

Trinity U20s Premier had another convincing win in the JP Fanagan qualifiers with a 56-14 win over St Mary’s College. They have qualified for the Super 8, and start with a game with Clontarf in Castle Avenue next week.

The U20s Pennant had their first game/trial using 26+ players. They defeated last year’s U20s Pennant coach Aidan Kearney’s new charges from Suttonians. The club would like to wish Aidan all the best for his new venture at his home club where he is restarting an U20s squad after many years of inactivity. It was good to see a lot of freshman make their debuts in a sunny College Park. It’s always memorable for any player to have their first game in CP.

3rd XV lost to Old Belvedere 20-17 in a close game that could have gone either  way.

4th XV travelled to Gorey and won 26-3;