TRINITY BEAT SHANNON!

Trinity 31pts – Shannon 19pts;   24thNovember 2018.

 

Trinity gained an impressive win over the most successful AIL team of all time and 3rdplace team this season.

 

Trinity started brightly and took their opponents through multiple phases before debutant prop Giuseppe Coyne finished off a nice break initiated by scrum half Rowan Osborne, back after a lay off through injury.

 

Shannon then turned the screw in the scrum and dominated possession and territory for a large part of the first half. As Trinity struggled to get their hands on the ball. Shannon went close a couple of times before they actually did get the ball over to score.

 

Trinity came back and always looked dangerous, particularly when they got the ball wide. James Fennelly kicked a penalty and the students were fortunate to be ahead at half time 10-7.

 

In the second half Trinity dominated the game and the well-drilled Shannon only really managed the odd break out. 6’3-111KG Trinity hooker Dan Sheehan scored an incredible individual try when he took a short pass off his Captain for the day, flanker Max Kearney, and ran 40 metres before rounding the full back to score in the corner. James Fennelly added the extras from the sideline.

 

Shannon did come back to 17-14, but Trinity kicked on to score two tries as their young but very athletic pack took over the game. The first of these was an incredible effort by the forwards, when another debutant, replacement and freshman second row Ryan Baird, carried hard about 40 metres out. From the ruck the forwards took the direct route to the Shannon line and six phases later 18 year old freshman prop Thomas Clarkson showed tremendous work rate when he carried the ball three times in one play and ended up diving over from close in.

 

Trinity were now flying and looking to run at every opportunity as they chased the four try bonus point. Minutes later centre James Hickey showed a rare turn of speed and change of direction to slice through the middle of the field before passing to freshman full back Liam Turner who sprinted in from 20m out to score the bonus point try. Shannon to their credit did come back to score late on to close the score to 31-19.

 

This result moves Trinity into the top four of the All Ireland League 1A Division behind Clontarf, Cork Con and Lansdowne. They now travel to Cork to play UCC in the latter’s ‘Colours’ game 3pm KO.

 

15 Liam Turner, 14 Donal Liddy,  13 James Hickey, 12 Phil Murphy, 11 Ronan Quinn, 10 James Fennelly, 9 Rowan Osborne, 1 Giuseppe Coyne, 2 Dan Sheehan, 3 Dylan Doyle, 4 Arthur Greene, 5 Jack Dunne, 6 Johnny McKeown, 7 Max Kearney, 8 Niall O’Riordan. Subs Joe Horan, Tom Clarkson, Ryan Baird, Conor Lowndes, Roghan McMahon

 

Elsewhere Trinity Senior 2nds beat Terenure 29-19, after several close losses, Trinity fully deserved their win in College Park.

 

Trinity U20s Premier XVgot back on the winning trail with a tough 27-24 win over Terenure. The score changed back and forth several times with Trinity trailing for large parts of the game. But they managed to pull through to win in the end. This keeps the Prems in second place in the JP Fanagan Premier 1

 

Trinity U20s Freshers XVbeat NUIG 21-14 in Santry. This puts the Freshers in second place in the JP Fanagan Premier 2 league.

 

Trinity Senior 3rdswon 62-14 against Guinness, displaying a wonderful 15 man running performance in Santry. The 3rds move into 2ndplace in Metro 6 of the Leinster league.