Ulster Bank League: Division 1A Previews - UCD vs LANSDOWNE

UCD 8 LANSDOWNE 45, Belfield Bowl (played on Friday)

Daniel McEvoy's hat-trick of tries was the highlight of Lansdowne's Friday Night Lights win over UCD at the Belfield Bowl.

The crisp-finishing winger took his league tally to nine tries in all, as Mike Ruddock's men made it back-to-back bonus point victories and pushed six points clear at the summit.

An intercept by Mark Roche set up McEvoy's first score in the 14th minute, adding to an earlier penalty by Scott Deasy. Lansdowne's lead was out to 13-0 after flanker Barry Fitzpatrick reached over in the corner with 22 minutes gone.

UCD had no reward for some promising build-up play until winger Tom Fletcher used his footballing skills to dribble through and dot down, five minutes before the break.

However, the visitors secured their bonus point by half-time as McEvoy profited from a pinpoint Deasy cross-field kick and centre John O'Donnell followed up with a well-taken intercept score.

A late Billy Dardis penalty closed the gap to 25-8, but the students had it all to do in the second half. Their young number 8 Greg Jones was their standout player, tackling to a near standstill and disrupting the Lansdowne lineout.

There was nothing he could do in the 45th minute when the headquarters club sent a penalty towards corner, won the lineout and drove hooker Tyrone Moran over to widen the margin to 24 points.

McEvoy darted through midfield for his third try of the night just on the hour mark, and with College suffering a late yellow card, Lansdowne replacement Charlie McMickan knocked over two closing penalties to complete the scoring at 45-8.