THERE WAS SCHOOLS Senior Cup action in Leinster and Munster today, but the weather had its part to play too, with Blackrock’s meeting with CBC Monkstown and Gonzaga v King’s Hospital postponed.
Here are the games that did make it to the first whistle.
Munster Senior Cup
Crescent College 39
CBC 0
REIGNING MUNSTER SENIOR Cup champions Crescent College ran out resounding winners, with six tries and a clean sheet in their win over Christian Brothers Cork.
CBC were on the back foot from the start with impressive lock Robbie Scott scoring two of his side’s three tries within 15 minutes of the opening whistle. CBC did get a foothold before half-time, but they were unable to make any further inroads on the scoreboard and deficit remained 17 points at the break.
Crescent’s ruthlessness was underlined in the second half with a penalty and two further tries clocked up after 60 minutes before a late maximum score ensured they would end the day on 39.
PBC 8
St. Munchin’s 8
In a dramatic finish, 10 minutes after the allotted time had been played, St Munchin’s claimed the spoils of victory in the Munster Senior Cup quarter-final despite being pinned to a draw by Pres.
The Limerick school take home advantage into the second round of quarter-finals by virtue of scoring the first try of this tense encounter.
That try came in the second half courtesy of a powerful burst from inside centre Shane Halpin. Alan Wallace had knocked over an earlier penalty to send Munchin’s level in level at half time, but his conversion cracked back off the post.
PBC piled on the pressure throughout, but three minutes from the finish they were still to register a second score. The late try did arrive at the death, but Conor Flanagan could not direct the touchline conversion through the posts and Pres were left needing a score to win.
Leinster Senior Cup
Clongowes Wood 32
Kilkenny College 15
2011 champions Clongowes Wood withstood a spirited challenge from Kilkenny College to advance to the quarter-finals of the Leinster Senior Cup.
The hosts in Maynooth showed their finishing prowess in each half, Cian O’Donoghue helping his side to a four-try 32 – 15 win.
Belvedere College 28
Wesley College 3
Phil Werahiko’s promising young group got off to a flying start to their cup campaign, despite that start coming a day later than planned.
24 hours after rain postponed the initial fixture, tries from Sean McCullough and Cameron McCrum helped the Great Denmark street school ease into the quarter-finals.
Newbridge College 14
Cistercian College Roscrea 3
Roscrea, who exited the last two Leinster Senior Cups to the eventual champions, have fallen at the first hurdle to Newbridge.
Newbridge opened the scoring after 21 minutes thanks to a Jimmy O’Brien try, converted by Joe D’Arcy.
Tim Foley would reply with what proved to be Roscrea’s only score of the day for Roscrea, and his side were relieved to take just the four-point deficit into half time after some intense pressure from Newbridge.
Shortly after the break, Conor Doyle extended Newbridge’s lead and D’Arcy was again on target with the extras.
With tries then needed, Roscrea were largely held at arm’s length as they exited the Senior Cup earlier than they have become accustomed.
St Andrew’s 15
Castleknock College 15
Castleknock produced a gutsy display to battle back from 9 – 0 down against St Andrew’s in Cill Dara to send the last 16 tie to a replay.
The north Dublin school actually managed to overturn the lead and will have left the field disappointed not to have secured progression having led 15 – 12 with three minutes to go.
However, Jack Balbirnie’s long-range penalty ensured these well-matched sides would have to do it all again.
