HOLDERS Crescent College exited from the Munster Schools Senior Cup when beaten by Christian Brothers College (CBC), 34-29, in yesterday’s entertaining replayed semi-final at Thomond Park.
CBC will meet Presentation Brothers College (PBC) in the final.
In Limerick, CBC held the lead throughout and time ran out for Crescent as they were unable to make a successful comeback as they did to force this replay in Cork last time out.
A fast start from the visitors saw CBC begin to pile on the pressure as they made ground towards the Crescent line. The ball was spread wide to Adam Wrona and the hooker powered over in the corner. Benjamin Lynch’s conversion was wide of the posts as the Cork school took a 5-0 lead.
Wrona made it 12-0 for CBC just moments later when a powerful rolling maul gained good ground for the Cork school before a strong carry from the hooker saw him get all the way to the line. Within seven minutes, CBC had a 10-0 lead.
Crescent got a try from Fionn Casserly after a powerful lineout maul.
An excellent 50:22 from Lynch put CBC into some good field position where Daniel Rock soon went over for his side’s third try after a strong carry from the number eight from the base of a scrum. Lynch converted to give CBC a 17-5 lead.
CBC extended their lead to 20-5 through a Lynch penalty.
CBC were penalised for going off their feet soon after and from the resulting lineout maul, CBC brought it down illegally which resulted in a penalty try.
At half-time it was 20-12 to CBC and they struck first at the start of the second-half when Christopher Barrett collected a Garryowen from Ronan O’Keefe. The winger ran it in under the posts which allowed Patrick O’Shea to kick the conversion with ease.
Now with a 27-12 lead, Crescent went back to their powerful maul for some respite where they gained good ground once again before releasing Charlie Fenton who ran a good line to crash over. O’Callaghan converted to reduce the deficit to 27-19.
From a Crescent goal-line drop out, CBC gained ground once again and were awarded a penalty 5m out. They decided to tap and go where Wrona powered over for his third try. O’Shea’s conversion gave CBC a 34-19 lead with just over 10 minutes remaining.
O’Callaghan kicked a penalty to reduce it to a two-score game at 34-22.
Crescent got a try through Mark Fitzgerald at the death with Ryan Godfrey converting to make it 34-29 but unfortunately for the Limerick school it proved too late.
Crescent College: Jed O’Dwyer, Joshua Boland, Eoin O’Callaghan, Joe McEnery, Ryan Godfrey, Oscar Davey, Marcus Lyons; Mark Fitzgerald, Conor Clery, Denis O’Dwyer, Jack Somers, Sean Magee, Fionn Casserly, Andrew Ahearne, Cillian Kelly.
Replacements: Jonathan Byrne, Cathal Lanigan Ryan, Conor Ryan, Jordan Power, Charlie Fenton, Cormac Quinn, Michael O’Mara, Evan Cusack, Ben Gallagher, Evan Bennett.
Referee: George Clancy.
