Bandon Grammar Punch Their Ticket To The Senior Cup Semi Finals

Bandon Grammar booked their place in the Pinergy Munster Schools Boys Senior Cup as they defeated Limerick giants Castletroy College in Virgin Media Park.

The West Cork outfit stepped up to the plate this afternoon as they held off a late Castletroy surge to take the game with a final score of 25-19.

Grammar got out of the blocks early as Aidan Gambura dove over off the back of a maul. Out-half David Fuller followed up with the extras.

Set piece was where the West Cork outfit flourished as they showed their prowess in the air. Captain Mark Whelton claimed his fifth line out of the day in the 27th minute, setting up another dominant, well-drilled maul that drove the side over the gain line, allowing hooker Adam Barry to touch down. The wind reeked havoc for Fuller as the ball fell from tee twice. Once set the out-half sent the conversion just wide of the posts.

As the clock hit the half time mark the score line stood at 12-0 in Bandon’s favour.

Castletroy found their feet in the second half as Jay Walsh crashed over in the 38th minute for the sides first unconverted try.

Bandon took until the 50th minute to lodge a response after an emphatic line break from Alexander Bramoulle saw him put his foot to the pedal and dive over in the corner bringing the score the 17-5 with 20 minutes left on the clock.

Castletroy were back within touching distant on the hour mark as full back Evan Bolan ran in under the sticks. Robert O’Donnell added the extras to put just five points between the sides.

But the Limerick side’s ill disciplines would prove costly as Bandon were awarded a penalty for a high tackle just minutes later. Conor Smyth sent the kick high but it dropped just short and made contact with the cross bar that luckily sent it over giving the side an additional three point cushion as they headed towards full time.

Castletroy had one last surge within them as replacement Lee Hogan dived over the line in the 65th minute. O’Donnell was on hand to kick the conversion to bring the score to 20-19 with just minutes left on the clock.

The Limerick side were unlucky to concede a penalty at the kick off which allowed Bandon to kick to the corner. After a clean lineout the West Cork outfit set a maul and drove for the line allowing Barry to touch down for his second try of the day. Smyth’s conversion hit the post and went wide but it did not matter as the side had already punched their tickets for a Semi Final meeting with St. Munchins as the game ended 25-19.

Bandon Grammar School: Louis Dukelow; Alexander Bramoulle, Eanna Burke, Michael Kennedy, Jamie Hicks; David Fuller, Lewis Linehan; Sean O’Callaghan, Adam Barry, Jonas van der Velde; Scott Brady, Billy Giles; Mark Whelton, Matthew O’Regan, Aidan Lazarus Gambura.

Replacements: Robert Collins, Finn McCarthy, Jack Deasy, Aodhan Brennan, Seán Dooley, Matthew Buttimer, Jacob Sweetnam, Dylan L’Estrange, Conor Smyth, Nathan van der Westhuizen.

Castletroy College: Evan Bolan; Robert Sheehan, Robert O’Donnell, Tyler Kelly, Ben Kiely; Cormac Devitt, Enda Collins; Mark Hickey, Kevin Griffin, Jay Walsh; Andrew O’Connor, Ben O’Connell; Sean Quilter, Jordi Frigola Ward; Conor Ryan.

Replacements: Julian Siudzinski, Aryan Brazyte, Bob He, Xabi Scanlon, Charlie Hogan, Cillian Lacey, Lee Hogan, Rory O’Dwyer, Ronan McInerney, Cian Brown.