CBC 34 – Crescent Comp 3

CBC Cork won their place in the last four of the Coca Cola Munster Schools senior cup with a comprehensive victory over Crescent Comprehensive at Musgrave Park.

CBC Cork won their place in the last four of the Coca Cola Munster Schools senior cup with a comprehensive victory over Crescent Comprehensive at Musgrave Park.

A six try haul graphically illustrated the threat they will pose to the remaining teams in the competition, and the second half display was particularly memorable. Crescent trailed by just seven points at the interval and there were moments in that first half when they looked threatening. In particular, a couple of breaks from back row forwards Barry Holmes and Barry James O”Mahony, forced the Cork side back on their heels.

But if that first period was vigorously contested, Christians still stole a march on their rivals with a couple of tries that were created by excellent support play. It was, with some brilliant individual moments, to be a trend in the second spell. Brian O”Shea kicked Crescent into a third minute lead after a promising opening spell from the Limerick school but Christians scored the opening try in virtually their first serious attack.

Crescent suffered throughout due their lack of success in the lineouts. where Christians had it over them in the front, middle and back. While the scrum was a lot stronger, they still lost a strike against the head and it was from that lapse that James O”Hanlon was unleashed to score in the corner. Jonathan Harte got the second three minutes later to extend the CBC lead to seven points. Holmes was nearly in for Crescent six minutes later but that was the closest his side came to scoring in that evenly matched opening spell.

It took a magnificent piece of individual work to seal the tie. After eight pulsating minutes – and Crescent desperately trying to get back into the match – Duncan Williams broke away from 40 metres out. He made it all the way to the line and Eamon Ronan added the points for a 17-3 advantage. Harte added to the CBC total with a try midway through the half and Karl Mitchell grabbed another with 13 minutes to go.

The second of them came after the initial break from Williams, a magnificent carry-on from reserve winger Gavin Blower and Ronan was on hand to add the points to make it 29-3. It was no surprise that, late in the game, John McCarthy got over for the sixth try and it was a tribute to CBC that at this stage they had already introduced all seven of their replacements.

Christians were mild to warm favourites to take the trophy at the start of the campaign. On the basis of this thoroughly professional performance against a Crescent side that was not as bad as the scoreline suggested, the odds will have closed significantly. Certainly neither holders St Munchins or Glenstal, one of whom they meet in the penultimate stage, will be particularly keen to take them on in this type of form.

CBC:

M. J. Ahern, J. O”Hanlon, J. McCarthy,m K. Mitchell, J. Shortt, E. Ronan, D. Williams, D. Hurley, J. Kerins, R. Hassan, R. Noonan, E. Mackey, B. Holland, J. Harte, M. Essex. Replacements. G. Blower for Shortt (42, injured), B. O”Keeffe for Ahern (50, injured), A. Kelly for Mackey (57), A. Ryan for Williams (63), N. Finnegan for Kerins (65), G. Keane for Hurley, B. Shannon for Hassan (both 66).

CRESCENT:

D. Fitzgibbon, N. O”Brien, R. McDonnell, J. O”Sullivan, M. Burke, B. O”Shea, L. Burke, D. Nolan, E. O”Brien, J. Hogan, A. O”Sullivan, O. Keely, M. Nicholas, B. Holmes, B. J. O”Mahony. Replacements. D. Wellek for O”Brien (35), C. McInerney for O”Brien (57), P. Lally for Nolan, E. Cuneen for Keely (both 63).