College Park

Friday 1 April 2022

D.U.F.C. 34  UCD 27

D.U.F.C.  won its first Colours three-in-a-row since 1991 after overcoming UCD 34-27 at a wet College Park.

This was the first Colours Match to take place since April 2019 – the 2020 and 2021 clashes having been cancelled  due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The tie was closely fought but Trinity’s maul was a key weapon, setting up tries for Mark Nicholson in each half and Alan Francis in the second half, before they  got the upper hand in the 75th minute (of an extended 87 minutes) when Louis O’Reilly finished off a fantastic bonus point try. Half-back partner and Trinity captain Michéal O’Kennedy  was also key, contributing 14 points with the boot.
 
UCD made all the early running against a nervy Trinity, with Munster Academy scrum half Paddy Patterson and centre Ryan, a regular scorer for UCD, both threatening around he fringes.

Fresh from playing for Leinster against Connacht last week, UCD’s Chris Cosgrave nailed a second-minute penalty to punish a high tackle from Faria on Dylan O’Grady.

After the hosts had coughed up possession from a forward pass, James Culhane, one of UCD’s 5 returning Ireland U-20 Grand Slam heroes, carried up close before Ryan evaded a tackle to score to the right of the posts. Cosgrave converted for a 10-0 lead.

Alan Francis lifted Trinity by forcing a breakdown penalty and once they reached the UCD 22, two maul penalties preceded a well-taken try from hooker Nicholson courtesy of a powerful lineout drive.

O’Kennedy’s conversion from the left was followed by a Cosgrave penalty for a 13-7 UCD lead, rewarding a sharp attack involving number 8 Culhane and his captain Jack Ringrose.

However, UCD’s discipline was poor approaching the interval, with Tarrant and Reilly both sin-binned either side of an O’Kennedy penalty. 13-10.

A Francis turnover penalty was tapped quickly by O’Reilly who kicked through, but UCD openside Reilly’s late hit on the scrum half saw him carded. The forward pressure set up Francis to lunge over from a close-in ruck, with O’Kennedy converting to leave Trinity ahead 17-13 at half time.

Six minutes after the break, a clever kick from O’Reilly, the player-of-the-match, had Trinity licking their lips at another lineout opportunity. Nicholson was duly driven over again with O’Kennedy crisply adding the extras. 24-13.

UCD responded well and Sean O’Brien was held up before Patterson scampered over beside the posts to keep UCD in the hunt.  Cosgrave converted. 24-20.

Trinity’s pack threatened from their reliable maul soon after which resulted in out-half O’Kennedy knocking over a penalty to make it 27-20 just a few phases later.

Into the closing stages, the home side finally showed its ability with ball in hand producing a scintillating try out of the top drawer. Superb vision from Luis Faria started the move with a long skip pass direct to left wing  Ronan Quinn. The latter ran free and, when the cover closed, linked with right wing and Leinster player Rob Russell. A smashing offload teed up Luis Faria to in turn release O’Reilly for the try-line. As worthya match-winning try as College Park will have seen.

Conversion by O’Kennedy and 34-20 looked to close the door on UCD but two Trinity yellow cards and extended injury time allowed UCD to pull back to 34-27 and caused nervousness around College Park. But, as much as Trinity’s attack has been a feature of the season, Smeeth’s play-off hunters knuckled down in defence and deservedly came out on top – retaining the Colours crown, the intervarsity Dudley Cup andhopes for a place in the AIL Div 1A play-offs.

DUBLIN UNIVERSITY: Max O’Reilly; Rob Russell, Luis Faria, Gavin Jones; Ronan Quinn; Michéal O’Kennedy (capt), Louis O’Reilly; Bart Vermeulen, Mark Nicholson, Thomas Connolly, Harry Sheridan, Jamie Berrisford, Aaron Coleman, Alan Francis, Diarmuid McCormack.
Replacements: Ben Nel, Giuseppe Coyne, Max Dunne, Jody Booth, Cormac King, Aran Egan.

UCD: Chris Cosgrave; Dylan O’Grady, David Ryan, James Tarrant, Jack Ringrose (capt); Tim Corkery, Paddy Patterson; Chris Hennessy, Bobby Sheehan, Evin Coyle, Jonathan Fish, Mark Morrissey, Sean O’Brien, Cian Reilly, James Culhane.
Replacements: Killian McQuaid, Jack Boyle, Rory McGuire, Gerard Hill, Richie Fahy, Luke Maloney.

Scorers: 
Dublin University: Tries: Mark Nicholson 2, Alan Francis, Louis O’Reilly; Cons: Michéal O’Kennedy 4; Pens: Michéal O’Kennedy 2

UCD: Tries: David Ryan, Paddy Patterson, Bobby Sheehan; Cons: Chris Cosgrave 3; Pens: Chris Cosgrave 2
HT: Dublin University 17 UCD 13

Energia All-Ireland League Division 1A, College Park, Dublin 1/4/2022
Dublin University vs UCD
Dublin University celebrate after the game
Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Tom Maher