CHRISTIANS (Cork) 34
ARDSCOIL RÍS (Limerick) 7
John O’Shea reports from Lansdowne
CHRISTIAN BROTHERS COLLEGE Cork exacted revenge upon last year’s conquerors as they came out on top in this Munster Schools Senior Cup first-round tie against Ardscoil Rís.
The two schools will soon clash ash in the Harty Cup semi-finals, but on the rugby field atop Patrick’s Hill today the 29-time Senior Cup champions were superior on either side of the ball as they blasted their way into the last eight.
The 2016 winners of this competition, CBC, flew into an opening-half lead and were able to withstand the pressure from their Limerick opposition to secure victory.
@CBC_rugby on the way to their Junior Cup and Senior Cup games against @ArdscoilRisLimk Good luck lads #wearecork pic.twitter.com/Vn9nJn1nIH
— Cork's 96FM (@Corks96FM) January 17, 2018
Proceedings got off to the most perfect of starts for the hosts.
Thomas Downes went over in the right-hand corner for the opening try of the game with just two minutes on the clock.
Then, just past the 10 minute mark, Ben Roche showed excellent persistence to drive over for a try from close range, with Robert Hedderman successfully knocking over the conversion.
Ardscoil replied through a try of their own from Rys Tucker.
CBC reacted positively, though, and finished the opening half with a try through fullback Hedderman who dotted down in the corner to stretch their lead to 20-7.
The visiting school battered at the Christians’ rearguard in the second half in an attempt to mount a fightback, but the ‘Super Reds’ held firm and sealed the deal through late tries from replacement Eoin Monahan and Ronan Barry – the former after some fine work by John Willis.
Christians march into the quarters eyeing a record-breaking 30th title; both they and arch rivals Pres currently sit atop the Munster Schools honour roll with 29.
CHRISTIANS: R Hedderman; M Bowen, E Barrett, T Downes, A O’Connor; C Whooley, J O’Riordan; M Donnelly, D O’Connor, L Masters, D McAuliffe, J Willis, C Barry, R Barry, B Roche.
Replacements: C Rasmussen, D Good, R Loftus, C Hurley, P Fives, F Burke, L Khan, B Cain, H O’Riordan, E Monahan.
ARD SCOIL: C O’Rahilly; C Murphy, K Dineen, G Clancy, L O’Shanaghan; D O’Gorman, I Leonard; M Gaule, R Tucker, F Lyons, B Noonan, W O’Callaghan, M O’Callaghan, J Ward Murphy, D Okeke
Replacements: S Clery, O Czyszczon, K Danaher, J Taylor, J Horrigan, C Moloney, A McNamara, D O’Byrne, E Roche, A O’Halloran.