Crescent College 17
Rockwell College 5
A SHARP AND inventive Crescent College side overcame Munster Schools Senior Cup champions Rockwell this afternoon at Clanwilliam Park.
Tries in either half from Daniel Hurley and Niall Mulcahy saw 11-times winners Crescent race into an unassailable 17-point lead and there was no way back for Rockwell, despite Ben Murray’s consolation try.
Crescent’s perfectly executed game plan meant Rockwell were unable to settle and play to their strengths with the Tipperary school’s ball carriers largely ineffective.
And a penalty directly from kick-off for Crescent set the tone for what was to follow. Hurley duly converted the opportunity for three points early on.
Rockwell did threaten to flex their muscles during the first-half but Crescent stood firm. The 2015 winners were denied on a couple of occasions by frantic, and at times illegal, defending as Mulcahy was sent to the bin for an infringement close to his own line.
But even with 14 men, it was Crescent who got the next score. Hurley added to his earlier penalty with a converted try after a quick line-out and fast ball created the opening for him to crash over under the posts.
Crescent again started brighter after the break. A weary Rockwell defence was stretched right, then left and all it took was fast, controlled ball to eventually allow Mulcahy touch down. Hurley converted and Crescent took a deserved 17-0 lead.
After 45 minutes, Rockwell’s maul finally got its reward as a line-out drive saw Murray touch down, although Paudie Feehan failed to convert.
Crescent continued to expertly control the game and saw it out from there, while Rockwell’s frustrations saw Conor Cashman sin-binned.
Crescent scorers:
Tries: Daniel Hurley, Niall Mulcahy
Penalties: Daniel Hurley (1)
Conversations: Daniel Hurley (2)Rockwell scorers:
Tries: Ben Murray
Crescent College: Daniel Hurley, Jake Fehilly, Calvin Nash, Billy O’Hara, Conor Phillips, Matthew Hanly, Jack Lyons; Jack Henchy (Michael Sheehan 45’), Jason Barry, Thomas Connolly, Fintan Coleman, John Blake (Eoghan O’Halloran 60’), Niall Mulcahy, Daniel Feasey (Anson Thai 53’), Bailey Faloon (Scott Leahy 51’).
Rockwell College: Paudie Feehan, Brian Fitzpatrick, Jamie Stone, Conor Cashman, Paudie Leamy, Jake Flannery (Gary Kavannagh 33’), Josh Pickering (Daryl Egan 49’);
Niall Campion (Luke Ashmore 30’), Diarmuid Barron, James Kendrick, David Shaw, Paddy Murchan (Conall Fox 45’), Mikey Wilson (Phillip Ryan 30’), Ben Murray, Mike Casey.
