CBC Cork 28
Ardscoil Rís 15
CHRISTIAN BROTHERS COLLEGE are through to the semi-finals of the Munster Schools Senior Cup after seeing off Ardscoil Rís in an enthralling game at University Limerick this afternoon.
On a perfectly dry day with a slight breeze, there was an air of expectancy from the large crowd in attendance that this would be a cracking game, and that is exactly how it panned out.
It began at a frantic pace, and CBC should have taken an early lead through fullback Liam Coombes only for a magnificent cover tackle from Ardscoil’s Nathan Randles.
This was followed by a few niggly exchanges between both sets of players, but nothing that referee George Clancy deemed to be an offence.
With both sides playing an expansive game on the superb 4G surface, there were line breaks a plenty, and with CBC scrumhalf Richard Cassidy a livewire in the loose, he broke through the defence on several occasions only for a lack of support to stifle any scoring opportunity.
With 15 minutes on the clock, Ardscoil out-half Conor Fitzgerald took matters into his own hands.
Receiving the ball on the 10-metre line, a neat little show-and-go put him through a small gap in the CBC defence, where he then sprinted 30 metres untouched to score under the posts. He tapped over the conversion for a 7-0 lead.
But CBC’s reply was instantaneous. When they won their own ball from the kick-off, they spread it wide and Alex McHenry – outstanding all afternoon – drew three defenders before finding Cassidy who dotted down in the corner for an unconverted score.
The game was still being played at an extremely high tempo, and when Fitzgerald pointed for the posts for an Ardscoil penalty 45 metres from goal out on the right, he split the posts for 10-5.
In the closing stages of the half, CBC fullback Coombes made several line breaks, but again the Cork side failed to capitalised.
When captain Daire Feeney was sent to the bin for an infringement, Ardscoil had the chance to further extend the lead, but Fitzgerald pulled this one left and wide to leave it 10-5 at the break.
Both teams stuck to their expansive game plan at the beginning of the second-half, and on 45 minutes CBC should have taken the lead.
Cassidy’s quick tap penalty created the opening but after getting inside opposition territory, Feeney somehow managed to drop the ball with the line at his mercy and the chance was gone.
From the resulting lineout however, CBC forced their way over as out-half James Taylor bundled his way under the posts. He converted to make it 12-10, and CBC looked to be in better shape to go on and win the game.
Ardscoil didn’t panic however, and when Peader Ryan sliced through the defence soon after, his offload bounced off Darren Galvin’s foot before he grounded the ball.
Referee Clancy consulted with his touch judge, and rightly awarded the try. Fitzgerald’s conversion dropped short into what was now a stiff breeze but the Limerick side led 15-12.
CBC rallied, and when Ardscoil were caught on their own 15 metre line for holding on, Taylor showed great composure to level the game at 15-15 from the tee.
Murmurs of a replay were beginning to circulate among the crowd, but CBC’s McHenry had other ideas.
After good initial work by the pack, McHenry offloaded to put winger Ian Casey over in the corner. Taylor hit the post with the conversion and the game was still in the balance at 20-15 with 10 minutes remaining.
As Ardscoil began to toil, Taylor extended the lead with a penalty and CBC began to assert their dominance.
In the final moments of the game a cruel bounce on the plastic pitch near the Ardscoil line allowed CBC to go over for a fortuitous try, but there will be no argument that the Cork side were deserved victors on the day.
Ardscoil scorers:Tries: Conor Fitzgerald, Darren Gavin
Conversion: Conor Fitzgerald
Penalty: Conor FitzgeraldCBC scorers:Tries: James Taylor, Richard Cassidy, Ian Casey, JD O’Hara
Conversion: James Taylor
Penalties: James Taylor [2]
Ardscoil Rís: Evan Cusack; Nathan Randles, Pa Ryan, Peadar Collins (capt), Darren Gavin; Conor Fitzgerald, Craig Casey; Michael Scallon, Colin Slater, James McCarthy; Conor Cannon, Darragh O’Grady; Oisin Bernard, Luke Clohessy, Odhran Ring.
Replacements: Shane Redmond, Matthew Gayle, Jim Ryan, Roy Whelan, Colin Madden, Marcus McMenamy, Darragh O’Gorman.
CBC: Liam Coombes; Barry Galvin, Joe Harrington, Alex McHenry, Ian Casey; James Taylor, Richard Cassidy; James Humphries, Gordon Good, Conor Leahy; Richard Thompson, Sean Duffy; Ross O’Neill, Robert Hyde, Daire Feeney (capt)
Replacements: Shane Bushe, Peter Kelleher, Ciaran McHugh, Declan Barry, Fergus Hennessey, Colin Sisk, JD O’Hea, Robert Hedderman.