St. Munchin’s 13
Ard Scoil Rís 12
Tom Clancy reports from Thomond Park
ST MUNCHIN’S CAME away from Thomond Park with the bragging rights over Ard Scoil Rís in round two of the Clayton Hotels Munster Senior Schools Cup.
They held on, despite a late fightback from their Limerick rivals to book a last eight spot.
The opening try came in the ninth minute for the eventual winners. Seamus McCarthy Burbage finished off a sweeping move by jinking inside the cover to run in underneath the posts. Alex Wood slotted the routine conversion for a 10-0 lead, having opened the scoring with a fifth-minute penalty.
Wood, son of legendary Irish forward Keith, was prominent throughout and accounted for eight St. Munchin’s points with his left foot.
Ard Scoil Ris replied well to the early setback and with their first visit inside the St Munchin’s 22, they found their first try.
James White and Jack Ward Murphy linked up before full-back Cian Casey released Killian Dineen with a wonderful pass. Dineen used his pace to run unscathed over the 20 meters to touch down beneath the posts.
Out-half Wood kicked his side six clear with the first score off the second half on 41 minutes. The penalty from 40 meters was never in doubt and punished Ard Scoil’s poor discipline.
Trailing by six points with as many minutes remaining, a moment of magic gave the North Limerick City school a lifeline. Captain John Moloney used his boot to find winger Lochlainn O’Keefe who made a sensational catch in the air before grounding the ball.
With O’Halloran off target with a difficult conversion, Ard Scoil trailed by one, 13-12, in the closing stages.
St. Munchin’s head coach Ger Slattery will be satisfied as his side held on to secure a place in the quarter-finals.
St Munchin’s scorers:
Tries: Seamus McCarthy Burbage
Conversion: Alex Wood
Penalty: Alex WoodArd Scoil Rís scorers:
Tries: Killian Dineen, Lochlainn O’Keefe
Conversion: Alex O’Halloran
ST. MUNCHINS: Kean Sheehy, Kieran Tracey, Kieran Ryan, Graham Kirwan, Louis McCormack, Joacim Clohessy, Evin Hickey, Liam Neilan, Donnacha O’Callaghan, Alexander Wood, James O’Brien, Darragh Long, Seamus McCarthy Burbage, Conor O’Shaughnessy, Daragh McDermott.
Replacements: Gus Harrington, Nathan Walsh, Craig Finn, Jonathan Kelly, Stephen Hayes, Conor O’Brien Comerford, Sean Nestor, Jack Devanny, Josh Egan, Joshua Costello.
ARD SCOIL RIS: Alex Long, James White, Feidhlim Barry, Cian O’Reilly, James Horrigan, David O’Loughlin, Ben McEnery, Jack Ward Murphy, Ian Leonard, John Moloney (Capt), Lochlainn O’Keefe, Alex O’Halloran, Killian Dineen, Eoghan Collins, Cian Casey.
Replacements: Darragh Dineen, Josh Moore, Cillian O’Brien, Oran O’Reilly, Adam Kennedy, Eoghan Ryan, Damien Keogh, Paddy Hassett, Alex Keyes.
Referee: Andrew Brace.
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