Report | Sacred Heart Clonakilty Complete Pinergy Munster Schools Cup Triple

Sacred Heart Clonakilty 52 – 14 Colaiste Pobail Bheanntrai

Sacred Heart Clonakilty were crowned Pinergy Munster Schools Girls Senior Cup champions for the third year in a row as they defeated fellow West Cork side Colaiste Pobail Bheanntrai in Virgin Media Park this afternoon.

The Clonakilty outfit were first to to get points on the board as Keelin McCarthy stepped three defenders to run over the whitewash in the 9th minute.

Scrum-half Julie Finn was next to snipe over under the posts after out-half, Lani Donovan, broke the line from the half way before popping off to Finn to run in. Rachel Twomey converted to bring the score to 12-0 with just 13 minutes on the clock.

Finn was over for her second just two minutes later as Elsa Quirke broke but was stopped just short. Finn kept pace and picked from the bottom of the ruck before sniping in over the line. Lani O’Donovan was next to step up the tee and put the conversion straight between the uprights.

Sacred Hearts forward pack got their first score of the game in the 25th minute as Roxanne Llewellyn touched down. O’Donovan’s conversion that followed dropped just short of the posts.

Clonakilty were almost in for a fifth as winger Ella O’Sullivan broke the line from their own try line before being caught on the Colaiste Pobail Bheanntrai 22 metre line. Colaiste Pobail Bheanntrai turned the ball over briefly before Sacred Heart regained possession but the side knocked the ball on just before the line.

The reigning champion remained patient and in the 30th minute found their fifth try through Niamh Hilliard. O’Donovan added the extras to make it 31-0 at half time.

Colaiste Pobail Bheanntrai held their own in the early stages of the second half before earning their first points of the game as captain, Grace Kingston, went the length of the pitch before diving in under the posts. Abbey Connolly converted to bring the score to 31-7 with 46 minutes on the clock.

But Sacred Heart were quick to respond as replacement Laura Sexton crossed the whitewash just two minutes later. Rachel Twomey stepped up and adding the extras with the conversion that followed.

With a new bout of confidence CPB hammered at Sacred Heart’s defensive line with the work paying off in the 55th minute as Alice O’Donovan barreled over. Connolly added the extras to bring the score to 38-14 with 15 minutes left on the clock.

But Sacred Heart responded quickly once again as Sexton ran in for her second try of the day. Twomey added the conversion to bring the side over the 40 point mark.

With the clocking ticking towards the red Sacred Heart set up one final strike play which saw Laura Sexton race in to complete her hattrick. Shona Fleming added the conversion to bring the score at full time to 52-14, securing Sacred Heart their third Pinergy Munster Schools Girls Senior Cup title in a row.

Sacred Heart Clonakilty: Clodagh McCarthy; Keelin McCarthy, Elsa Quirke, Rachel Twomey, Ella O’Sullivan; Lani O’Donovan, Julie Finn; Sinead O’Callaghan, Ciara O’Driscoll, Julie Cunningham; Leona Arra, Niamh Hilliard; Kate Burton, Amie Millin; Roxanne Llewellyn.

Replacements: Charlotte McCabe, Emily Bell, Chloe Galwey, Maya McMahon, Yasmine Asare, Elva Mc Auley, Annabel Tapia, Laura Sexton, Shona Fleming, Seodhna Walsh.

Colaiste Pobail Bheanntrai: Seren Lehane; Sophie O’Shea, Ciara Kelly, Alice O’Donovan, Carla O’Regan; Abbey Connolly, Grace Kingston; Laura Cronin, Muireann McCarthy, Leah Barry; Caoimhe McCarthy, Lucy Donaldson; Ellie O’Conor, Annie Doody; Mary Fox.

Replacements: Aoife Myler, Kate Triggs-Sharkey, Chloe O’Driscoll, Anna McAuliffe, Amy Coughlan.