AIL: Dolphin hold off UL Bohs surge to claim Division 2A win at Musgrave Park

Dolphin 27 UL Bohemian 24

A SPIRITED second-half fightback by UL Bohemian just came up short in their Energia All Ireland League Division 2A clash at Musgrave Park, where Dolphin recorded a narrow victory.

Bohs will look back at poor decisions when awarded kickable penalties, opting to kick to the corner instead of taking their points as they went in search of their first victory of the campaign.

The strong wind that blew towards the Dolphin corner of the ground dictated the pattern of the game.

Dolphin played with the elements in the first half and took full advantage, dominating the forward battle throughout the 80 minutes, especially at scrum time, despite being reduced to 14 for 20 minutes due to two yellow cards.

Tomas Quinlan opened the scoring after seven minutes with a penalty for Dolphin.

PENALTY

In the 13th minute, Dolphin’s James Rochford was shown a yellow card, and from the resultant penalty the visitors went for the corner, but the Dolphin defence held firm.

Costly errors by the Limerick side saw them go 10-0 behind. From a penalty, Dolphin went for a five-metre lineout, but Bohs, trying to prevent the ball from going over the touchline, kept it in play but conceded a five-metre scrum.

From this, the visitors were penalised for disrupting the scrum and Dolphin were awarded a penalty try on 19 minutes.

Five minutes later Dolphin extended their lead to 17-0 when a long pass from Quinlan to winger Rob Reardon, saw him race away to touch down and Quinlan converted.

Bohs were again exposed on the wings when Cameron O’Shaughnessy scored in the corner and Quinlan added the extras.

On the stroke of half-time Rochford barged over for Dolphin’s fourth try, but to the home side’s dismay, the score was disallowed for an infringement that saw Craig O’Herlihy yellow-carded.

Despite being 24-0 down at the interval, it was the Limerick side who took control on the resumption; they opened their account when Ignacio Garcia found a gap to score and Harry Byrne converted.

Ten minutes later Garcia was in for his second try and Byrne’s conversion left 10 points between the sides.

The visitors began to expose gaps in the Dolphin defence and Garcia completed his hat-trick with a try in the corner.

Dolphin re-grouped and Quinlan kicked a penalty with seven minutes remaining to make the score 27-19.

Joe Murray raced away to score in the corner and reduce the margin to three as the game entered added time.

Bohs were awarded a penalty and kicked for the corner, but Dolphin held their nerve to take the win.

Scorers for Dolphin: R Reardon, C O’Shaughnessy tries, pen try, T Quinlan 2 cons, 2 pens.

UL Bohemian: I Garcia 3 tries, J Murray try, H Byrne 2 cons.

DOLPHIN: E Mills; R Reardon, S Boyle, C O’Shaughnessy, D Foley; T Quinlan, R Foley; J Rochford, P Dowling, D Jennings; A Denby, B O’Mahony; J Vaughan, M Barry, C O’Herlihy.

Replacements: C Scott, J Leahy, B Fitzgerald, J Fitzgerald, A Pope.

UL: D O’Gorman; J Garcia, P Clancy, C Carbery, I Oji; H Byrne, C O’Doherty; P Nesbitt, M Henry, J Burton; D Kinane, P Galvin; R Wallace, D Rowsome, I Condell.

Replacements: K Regan, S Hayes, S Quirke, A Kiely, J Murray.

Referee: S Kierans (IRFU).