Wesley overcome Trinity in top of the table clash

AIL 1B  –  Old Wesley 30 Dublin University 16

Old Wesley produced a composed and disciplined performance at Donnybrook to overcome Dublin University 30–16 in a top-of-the-table AIL Division 1B meeting. The conditions were heavy, the pressure was real, and the margins were tight for long spells, but Wesley showed greater control, maturity and clarity throughout the contest.

The opening exchanges were tense, with both sides testing each other’s foundations. Wesley struck first through a steady penalty from Tom Larke after early pressure inside the Trinity half, but Dublin University answered immediately through Matt Lynch to level at 3–3. It was a cagey beginning, but Wesley were the first to land a decisive blow.

From a central scrum, Larke straightened the line, burst through a gap, and accelerated into space before releasing Niall Carroll on an inside line. Carroll finished cleanly under the posts, and the conversion pushed Wesley into a 10–3 lead. Trinity fought back with two further penalties from Lynch, briefly narrowing the margin to 10–9 and asking questions of the home side.

Wesley responded brilliantly. A kick to the corner set up an attacking lineout, and the pack delivered one of their most cohesive moments of the afternoon. The throw was sharp, the lift secure, and the maul began to roll with real purpose. With control, patience and timing, captain Kieran O’Shea steered the drive over the line, grounding for a classic maul try that restored Wesley’s grip on the contest. Larke converted to send the home side into the break 17–9 ahead.

The second half opened just as the first had ended: with Wesley controlling the key moments. Another Larke penalty stretched the score to 20–9 before Trinity enjoyed their most dangerous spell, launching phase after phase at the Wesley line. It felt like a try was coming — and it did, but not for them. Reading a loose pass perfectly, Paidi Farrell intercepted in midfield and raced the length of the pitch to score under the posts. It was a 14-point swing at a crucial time, and with Larke’s conversion, Wesley moved 27–9 clear.

Trinity responded gamely through a close-range finish from Artur Smykovskiy, but Wesley’s composure never wavered. Larke guided territory, the pack carried with conviction, and the defensive line tightened as the minutes faded. Another well-struck penalty from Larke brought the margin to 30–16, and Wesley closed out the final passages with authority to secure a deserved home victory.

It was not a bonus-point win, but it was a performance built on organisation, physicality, and decisive moments. Wesley showed the traits of a team steadily strengthening its position in Division 1B — structured, clinical, and clear in their identity.

Photos to follow

Scorers: Old Wesley: Tries: Niall Carroll, Kieran O’Shea, Paidi Farrell; Cons: Tom Larke 3; Pens: Tom Larke 3
HT: Old Wesley 17 Dublin University 9

Team: Tom Larke; Paidi Farrell, Ethan Black, Eoin Deegan, Jules Fenelon; Niall Carroll, Evan Kenny; Jamie Clark, Kieran O’Shea (capt), Kian Regan, Billy Corrigan, Shane Cawley, Dan Campbell, Charlie Meagher, Pat McBarron. Replacements: Luke McAuliffe, Adam Watchorn, Liam O’Neill, Luke O’Connor, Jarrod Homan, Ewan Watson.