PBC Cork 12
Bandon Grammar School 3
CORK’S PBC ARE one step away from a first Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Senior Cup title since 2010 after they edged out Bandon Grammar School at Musgrave Park on Wednesday afternoon.
In a tough game played in far-from-ideal conditions at times, it was the Cork city school’s talented centre Seán French who proved to be the match-winner with a try two minutes from the end of normal time.
With Bandon defending a 3-0 first-half lead, French took a pass from newly introduced scrum-half Louis Bruce and deftly chipped over two defenders before gathering possession and then diving over a tackle on the line.
While Peter Sylvester wasn’t able to add the conversion, Pres retained their lead as Bandon’s stand-in kicker Evan Palmer put a late penalty wide; first-choice dead-ball expert Seán Hudson having departed injured.
In the 87th minute – play had been held up for an injury to Bandon’s Ethan Greene – Pres captain Jack O’Sullivan barrelled over and Sylvester converted.
It was Hudson who scored the only points of the first half, a penalty in the sixth minute. Thereafter, Bandon frustrated their opponents with some excellent defending as try-scoring opportunities were at a premium.
Sylvester, who had hit the post with an earlier penalty from the 10m line, had a chance to level in first-half injury time but his kick from behind halfway dipped just under the crossbar.
Nevertheless, his side would eventually find a way through and they await the winners of Thursday’s semi-final between Limerick sides Ardscoil Rís and Glenstal Abbey.
PBC scorers:
Tries: Seán French, Jack O’Sullivan
Cons: Peter Sylvester [1 from 1]Bandon GS scorers:
Pens: Seán Hudson
PBC: Jonathan Wren; Paul Buckley, Seán French, James Broderick, Tom Fitzgerald; Peter Sylvester, Gary Bradley (Louis Bruce 67); Conor Burke, Billy Scannell, Brian O’Connor; Adam McAuliffe (Eoin Burns 70), Mark McCarthy; Cian Fitzgerald, Jack O’Sullivan, David Hyland.
BANDON GS: Seán Hudson (Soren Minihane 46, injured); Victor Lovell, Ben Gur, Ethan Greene (Harry Hall 50, injured), Jan Donnelly; Evan Palmer, Jack Crowley; James French, Travis Coomey, Ashley Deane; Conor Scully, Jason Bradfield (Michael Archer 70); Billy Hayes (Niall Beamish 70), Robin Stokes, Colin Deane.
Referee: Robert O’Sullivan [MAR].
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