Weekend Roundup: Success for three Irish provinces in RaboDirect Rugby

Inside Ireland’s Weekend Sporting Roundup looks at Irish sporting stories, other than GAA, from RaboDirect PRO12 results, to Airtricity League scores.

Livescore

RUGBY

Leinster 34-20 Cardiff Blues

Brian O’Driscoll helped Leinster on his RaboDirect PRO12 return to a win to over Cardiff Blues on Friday.

Tries for Sean Cronin, Dominic Ryan and Ian Madigan and 12 points from Madigan’s boot, helped Leinster to return to winning ways.

Connacht 26 – 43 Ospreys

Dan Biggar became only the second player to pass 1,000 RaboDirect PRO12 points as Ospreys saw off a Connacht fightback to win 43-26 in a thrilling encounter at The Sportsground.

Munster 23-9 Newport Gwent Dragons

Munster were beaten 29 – 19 away to Benetton Treviso last week, but bounced back at Musgrave Park on Saturday evening
Munster Rugby

Munster bounced back from their shock defeat to Benetton Treviso last weekend with a comfortable 23-9 RaboDirect PRO12 victory over Newport Gwent Dragons at Musgrave Park.

The Irish province had been knocked off the summit of the table after their defeat at Stadio Monigo but got back on track in a scrappy encounter which saw James Cronin and captain Peter O’Mahoney score vital decisive tries either side of half-time.

The win moves them to within three points of league-leading pair Ospreys and Glasgow Warriors and level with Leinster on 13 points ahead of their clash with the reigning champions at Thormond Park next weekend.

Ulster 32-13 Benetton Treviso

By Rory McGimpsey at Ravenhill 

Tries from Luke Marshall, Rory Best, and Tommy Bowe, as well as a brace from Michael Allen, saw a resurgent Ulster secure a welcome victory, enabling them to climb the pro12 table.

Treviso responded valiantly with a try from Robert Barbieri, and the boots of Berquist and Di Bernardo, but were unable to close the gap.

Ulster, who led throughout the game, were the better side, however.

Ulster dominated

      The Irish province dominated the opening five minutes, driving powerfully at the Treviso defence.

Big runners like Iain Henderson and Chris Henry tested the fringe defence of the Italian franchise.

Paddy Jackson thus earned the Irishmen a deserved lead on ten minutes, when he slotted a well-struck penalty kick to make it 3-0.

Treviso hooker Enrico Ceccato, meanwhile, was having a pronounced case of jitters at lineout time. All this underlined the Irish team’s supremacy, and Allen finally earned his reward on 28 minutes when he touched sown following some sweeping handling in the back-line.

Half-Time

Jackson missed the conversion, however, to make it 15-3. But the Italian visitors gradually regained their foothold in the game, with tight-head Alberto De Marchi exerting some pressure on Tom Court at the scrum.

By half time, the hosts were well worth their lead, however.

                     It was the Italian visitors that made the more productive start to the second period, which witnessed their pack camped in the Ulster 22.

But the evening got better for the Irish province on 63 minutes when skipper Rory Best rounded off incisive breaks from Marshall and Stevenson. Jackson missed the extras.

Treviso Incursions

Treviso responded gallantly and launched a series of incursions into the Ulster half. But despite a wealth of possession, they seemed to lack the cutting edge to navigate a way across the Ulster whitewash.

But their dogged persistence eventually reaped dividends when replacement Robert Barbieri crashed over the line on 70 minutes. Di Bernardo successfully landed his conversion.

The score was now a much more respectable 25-13.

The gap between the sides attested more to the resoluteness of the home defence than any particular deficiency in Treviso’s attacking armour.

Michael Allen concluded a much-improved Ulster performance by completing his brace on 79 minutes. Jackson capped an excellent individual performance to convert the score.

Treviso will be disappointed at being unable to follow up last week’s superb victory over Munster.

For Ulster, this win helps regain vital momentum ahead of the challenges of the next few weeks.

 

RAVENHILL STADIUM

Stormont Sports Minister Carál Ní Chuilín viewed the new facilities at Ravenhill and attended Ulster’s fourth match in the RaboDirect PRO12 season against Treviso on Friday night.

The Minister said the Memorial and Family Stands have been completed, creating ‘modern facilities for the team and fans alike’.

“Work is progressing well on the final phase of the project which should be completed by September 2014.”

The new Memorial End Stand has provided covered seating for approximately 2,400 people with terracing for a further 1,350 fans. The Minister’s Department, DCAL, are providing £14.7million for the Ravenhill project which will bring the ground up to a maximum capacity of 18,000.

It also includes a ticket office, a shop, a bar/catering facilities and a new heritage and education facility – which will be known as ‘The Nevin Spence Centre’ after the young Ulster player who died in a farming accident last September.

The new Family stand is the new family area of the ground with covered seating for 2,100 people with terracing for a further 1,300 fans. It houses team changing facilities, treatment rooms, an indoor training surface and a 7,000 square foot gym.

The Sports Minister outlining the importance of the redevelopment, said:

“As well as creating state of the art sports facilities, the redevelopment here at Ravenhill is also giving a much needed boost to the construction sector by providing employment opportunities for the long term unemployed as well as opportunities for apprentices. This is very much a win-win situation for Ulster Rugby, to get facilities which I am sure are the envy of many European clubs and for young people to get invaluable experience and employment on such a prestigious and interesting project”.

BOXING

Michael Ring, Minister for Sport and Tourism congratulated the Irish squad on winning 3 medals, Gold, Silver and Bronze, in the AIBA World Women’s Youth and Junior Championships in Albena, Bulgaria.

Minister Michael Ring said it is a great achievement for the whole team, to bring home 3 medals, ‘it is something the whole country can be very proud.”

The Mayo TD said:

 “All the girls have put in a huge effort and their families can be very proud, and it’s quiet the accolade to have 2 medals, Gold and Bronze, coming back to Mayo.”

Ciara Ginty , from Geesala Boxing Club and Jacqui Lynch from Golden Gloves Boxing club in Mayo took Gold and Bronze respectively.

Christina Desmond Macroom Boxing Club took Silver.

The Irish team finished 7th in the medals table.

SOCCER

All the Airtricity league premier scores

In an important weekend for some teams in the Airtricity League Premier Division as some chase title hopes, others trying to qualify for the Europa League, while some are just trying to avoid relegation.

Bohemians 2 Derry City 0

Bohemians took another positive step towards confirming their top flight status as they overcame Derry City by two goals in their Airtricity League Premier Division encounter at Dalymount Park. The Candystripes’ hope of getting to the Europa League has been damaged.

Shamrock Rovers 3 Drogheda United 1

Shamrock Rovers’ Europa League qualification hopes remain alive as they are now within three points of fourth-placed Derry City, who lost at Bohemians, though Derry have a game in hand.
Dundalk 1 Limerick 2

Dundalk’s Airtricity League title hopes almost gone following this 2-1 defeat to Limerick at Oriel Park.

Cork City 2 UCD 0

Ian Tuner’s goals helped Cork City to a fifth win in six outings with victory over UCD at Turner’s Cross in front of guest, World champion walker, Robbie Heffernan.

Bray Wanderers 1 St Patrick’s Athletic 3

St Patrick’s Athletic moved well clear at the top of the Airtricity Premier Division table after a victory over Bray Wanderers at the Carlisle Grounds on Thursday.

Promotion

Athlone Town 1 Waterford United 0

Athlone Town won the First Division title and automatic promotion to the Premier Division when they defeated Waterford United at the Athlone Town Stadiium.

CYCLING

Irishman Pat McQuaid has lost his re-election bid to Brian Cookson as President of the cycling body, UCI. Mr Cookson won with 24 votes out of a total of 42 voting delegates, versus 18 for Pat McQuaid, the outgoing UCI President.

 

“I want to make anti-doping procedures fully independent, sit together with key stakeholders and work with WADA to ensure a swift investigation into cycling’s doping culture. By doing these things we will build a firm platform to restore our reputation.”

-Brian Cookson, incoming UCI President

Mr Cookson added that the’ real work starts now’. “I would call on the global cycling community to unite,” he said.

Mr Cookson also paid tribute to Mr McQuaid, saying:

“I would like to thank Pat sincerely for the contribution he has made both to cycling and to the UCI in his long career.”

Pat McQuaid, speaking after the vote, said:
“It has been a huge privilege to serve the sport that I love as UCI President for eight years and I enjoyed every day that I spent working with all of our federations to improve and develop cycling worldwide.
Brian has set out what he intends to achieve over the next four years and I would encourage all cycling federations to support his efforts to work for the good of the sport.”

-Pat McQuaid

After the result was announced, Cookson, who will now step down as president of British Cycling, said he is ‘under no illusion that the real work starts now’.

 

McIlroy forms management company

County Down golfer Rory McIlroy confirmed he has terminated his contract with Horizon Sports Management and that the details of the termination are in the hands of a legal team led by AL Goodbody in Dublin, Ireland.

The golfer’s business interests will from now on be managed by Rory McIlroy Incorporated

He has helped form a new company to manage his affairs, Rory McIlroy Incorporated. The CEO of RMI will be Donal Casey, and The Rory Foundation for charity will be run by Barry Funston, a business leader and longtime friend of the McIlroy family.

Both men will serve on the RMI Board, together with the two-time major winner’s father, Gerry McIlroy.

Article source: http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/10634796.RUGBY_UNION__We_must_be_more_clinical__says_Burnell/?ref=nt

Weekend Roundup: Success for three Irish provinces in RaboDirect Rugby