Munster Schools Junior Cup Roundup

It was a busy week for Schools Junior Cup rugby as the knock out stages in both the boys and girls competitions continued.

Tuesday saw the double header of Colaiste Pobail Bheanntrai versus Ursuline Thurles and Colaiste na Sceilge versus Patrician Presentation Fethard in Virgin Media Park.

The West Cork side overcame Tipp natives Ursuline Thurles with a final score of 31-0 in the first game of the afternoon.

While Colaiste na Sceilge defeated Patrician Presentation Fethard with a final score of 51-29 after an end-to-end game in less that ideal conditions.

Colaiste na Sceilge will now meet last year’s champions Sacred Heart Clonakilty in Round Two of the competition, while Colaiste Pobail Bheanntrai will face Colaiste Muire Ennis.

Wednesday saw the meeting of Castletroy College and Glenstal Abbey and Crescent College Comprehensive and Kinsale Community School in the Munster Boys Schools Junior Cup first round knock out stage in Thomond Park.

Credit Glenstal Abbey

Round up all of yesterday’s action below.

Castletroy College 43 – 12 Glenstal Abbey

A seven try triumph over Glenstal Abbey saw Limerick’s Castletroy College advance to the next stage of the Munster Boys Schools Junior Cup in Thomond Park yesterday afternoon.

The city side got scoring underway early on as a cross field kick from out-half Brian Halley sent Wicktor Kosecki crashing over. Halley also added the extras.

Kosecki was in again just four minutes later with Halley sending the touchline conversion just wide of the posts.

Glenstal got their name on the score sheet in the 12th minute as Donnacha Burtwell crossed the whitewash with Senan Rowan stepping up to convert bringing the score to 12-7.

But Castletroy were in twice more before the end of the half as both Tom Cuneen and Paddy O’Connell ran in.

This left the score at the break at 24-7.

Castletroy were on the scoresheet once again just four minutes into the second half when Paudie Quilter touched down.

Henry Duggan followed suit to earn the side their sixth try of the game. Aaron Fitzgerald added the extras with just 38 minutes on the clock.

But Glenstal never backed down as outside centre Ethan Henry crashed over for an unconverted try.

Castletroy signed off the game with one last try from replacement Donnacha O’Brien. Aaron Fitzgerald booted over the extra two to bring the final score to 43-12.

Castletroy will now meet Cork’s Presentation Brothers College in the Quarter Final Eliminator in Virgin Media Park on February 4th.

Castletroy College: Paudie Quilter; Cillian Sheehan, Harry Duggan, Jerry Prendergast, Wiktor Kosecki; Brian Halley, Aaron Fitzgerald;
Cormac Deegan, James Collins, James Berkery, Tomas Og Hayes, Paddy O’Connell, Obed Gandolfo, Paddy Forde, Callum McDermott.

Replacements: Ruairi McGrath, Harry Kett, Thomas Conway, Oisín Jennings, Jack Field, Tom Cunneen, Andrew Burke, Donnacha Ryan, Donnacha O’Brien, Danny Coyne.

Glenstal Abbey: William Goode; Ethan O’Connor, Ethan Henry, Eoin Cuddigan, Joe Hartigan; Senan Rowan, JJ Power;
Adam Russell, Benedict O’Sullivan, Junrong Lin, Saul Dillon, Finn Carney, Liam de Montgrand, Gonzalo Rodriguez, Donncha Burtwell.

Replacements: AJ Sapa, Ethan Bambury, Frederick Phillips, Seamus Twomey, Marco Gonzalez, Aaron Zhong, Sam McMahon, Juan Sanchez-Arjona, Austin Quinn.

Credit Scott Allen Photography

Crescent College Comprehensive 34 v 21 Kinsale Community School

Crescent College Comprehensive progress by the skin of their teeth as they defeat Cork’s Kinsale Community School 34-21 in the opening knock out round of the Munster Boys Schools Junior Cup.

The Limerick side were first to strike early on as Gearoid Hickey touched down after just two minutes with Dylan Fitzgerald adding the extras.

Kinsale struck back 15 minutes later through Aiden Du Plessis Geiger with Darragh O’Sullivan converting bringing the sides level for the first time.

A Crescent penalty, followed by a try from Noah Desamais, gave the Limerick side the lead once more as the score line swung to 15-7.

Kinsale retaliated just before the end of the half to bring the sides within a point of each other as Alex Haughney touched down underneath the posts. Darragh O’Sullivan converted leaving the score at half time at 15-14.

Crescent’s Gearoid Hickey was in for his second in the opening stages of the second half with Fitzgerald once again adding the extras.

The out-half crossed over himself just minutes later for the sides fourth converted try.

Kinsale brought themselves back into the contest late on when Jan Marc Aige ran in. O’Sullivan nailed the conversion that followed and before they knew it there was just six points separating the sides.

But Crescent responded one final time to secure their progression to the next round as Peter Ezomo crossed the whitewash with Gearoid Hickey converting, bringing the final score to 34-21.

Crescent College Comprehensive: Charlie Woods; Sean McMahon, Noah Desamais, Gearoid Hickey, Mark O’Riordan; Dylan Fitzgerald, Freddie Bromell; Daniel Donohoe, Mike Kennedy, Oran O’Sullivan; Jack Kelly, Jack Coughlan; Peter Ezomo, Killian Casey; Cuan kilroy.

Replacements: Cillian Cullinane, Nathan Madden, Dylan Byrne, Diarmuid Browne, Tomas Costelloe, Jack McNamara, Harvey Wallace, Alex Tobin, Paddy Healy, Samuel Francis.

Kinsale Community School: Rían O’Neill; Max Morrison, Jan Marc Aige, William Brugger, Harry Murphy; Darragh O’Sullivan, Anthony Murphy; Izak O’Riordan, Cian Nagle, Archie O’Callaghan; Aiden Du Plessis Geiger; Alex Haughney, Zach Ridgway, Conor Boyle; Ryan Harrington.

Replacements: Alex Smyth, Samuel Thomas, Donnacha O’Sullivan, James Kingston, Dylan Prior, Fionn McSherry, Senan Horan, Oran O’Donnell, Adam McCarthy, Kayn McCarthy.