Ulster Bank League: Division 1A Review - ST. MARY'S COLLEGE vs UCD

ST. MARY'S COLLEGE 18 UCD 32, Templeville Road


Promising out-half Matthew Gilsenan had an important 12-point contribution off the kicking tee as UCD gained a 32-18 bonus point victory away to St. Mary's.

Gilsenan got one over on his older brother Conor who came on as a replacement for Mary's, while Peadar Timmins and Nick McCarthy - two of the seven Leinster Academy members who recently penned senior contracts with the province - both crossed the whitewash for the students.

Good hands from the Mary's backs freed up winger Ian O'Neill for a fifth-minute try out wide, raising their hopes of claiming back-to-back victories at Templeville Road.

Gilsenan's second successful penalty edged UCD in front at 6-5 and after some gritty defence had denied Mary's a try, a Timmins-won turnover saw the visitors make it back up to halfway.

It got even better for Andy Skehan's charges on the half hour mark, Leinster prop Andrew Porter winning a scrum penalty and a quick tap saw number 8 Timmins barge over for a converted try.

Despite some prolonged phases in the red zone, the try would not come for Mary's and they had to settle for three points from the boot of Dave Fanagan, reducing the arrears to 13-8 for half-time.

The elder Gilsenan was brought on by Mary's boss Jamie Cornett and an unconverted maul try - credited to prop Tom O'Reilly - had the hosts' attack firing again.

UCD had a clinical edge that Mary's just could not match, however, and an eye-catching break from Greg Jones saw scrum half McCarthy pop up on his shoulder to take the pass and notch a well-worked five-pointer.

Try number three arrived for the students in the 68th minute when a kick through saw captain Jamie Glynn beat the covering Conor Hogan to the touchdown, with Gilsenan converting.

He also added the extras to College's bonus point score, created by Harry McNulty's break and well-timed pass to fellow winger Andy Marks who hit the line at pace to finish in crisp fashion.

A superb solo try from Mary's full-back Hogan brought the deficit back to 14 points, but it was only a consolation score as UCD rose to fifth in the standings - nine points outside the top four - and their hosts, who are six now six points off the bottom, slipped to seventh place.