CBC Cork 9
Crescent College Comprehensive 8
CHRISTIAN BROTHER COLLEGE Cork out-half James Taylor certainly hit the right notes when kicking three penalties to steer his side to a record 29th Munster Schools Senior Cup title in Cork this afternoon.
But the winners were subjected to the most intense pressure in a dramatic conclusion in Musgrave Park as Crescent, despite playing against the strong wind, camped in the Christians 22 only to meet disciplined defending.
And Christians were indeed grateful to the long arms of second-row Richard Thompson, who intercepted a certain try seven minutes from the end of regulation time as the Limerick side queued on the right to score.
Thompson also came to the rescue, when stealing a Crescent line-out inside his own 22 as the game ticked into four minutes’ injury-time before Christians savoured their first cup success since 2009.
Crescent took a long time to eventually make use of the strong wind in the first-half. Full-back Daniel Hurley kicked them in front after 10 minutes before crossing for the only try just after the half-hour mark.
He had early missed a kickable penalty and the strong wind caused the ball to fall off the kicking tee as he lined up the conversion, Hurley’s drop-goal attempt falling short.
Christians turned around 8-3 behind, Taylor opening their account with a fine kick into the wind after 22 minutes, but they, too, struggled to maximise the elements.
A lack of composure in a five-metre scrum and crossing in a line-out frustrated their efforts, but Taylor came up trumps with the boot.
He kicked his second penalty after 50 minutes, Crescent reduced to 14 following Billy O’Hora’s harsh yellow card for deliberate knock-on.
And Taylor then wrote his name into Christians folklore by landing the winning kick on the hour mark after Crescent used hands in a ruck.
Scorers for CBC: James Taylor 3 pensScorers for Crescent CC: Daniel Hurley try and pen.
CBC Cork
Liam Coombes; Barry Galvin, Joe Harrington, Alex McHenry, Ian Casey; James Taylor, Richard Cassidy; Luke Masters (Peter Kelleher 37 mins), Gordon Good (Shane Bushe 45 mins), Conor Leahy; Richard Thompson, Sean Duffy (Fergus Hennessy 69 mins); Ross O’Neill, Daire Feeney, captain, Robert Hyde (Declan Barry 56 mins).
Crescent College Comprehensive
Daniel Hurley; Jake Fehilly, Calvin Nash, captain, Billy O’Hora, Conor Phillips; Mathew Hanly, Jack Lyons; Jack Henchy, Jason Barry, Thomas Connolly; John Blake, Fintan Coleman; Niall Mulcahy, Bailey Faloon, Daniel Feasy (Peter Hickey 52 mins)
Referee: Kieran Barry (MAR)
