26th Schools Senior Cup Title For Rockwell

Rockwell won the SEAT Munster Schools Senior Cup title for the 26th time with a deserved victory over a game Ardscoil Rãs side who battled away to the finish at Thomond Park.

Rockwell College 23-13 Rockwell College

There was no disputing that Rockwell deserved this win, but they were never sure of victory until the final minute when Bryan McLaughlin scored Rockwell’s second try and Tom McHale’s conversion put the game beyond a brave Ardscoil side who had to taste defeat for the second successive year.

Rockwell dominated the opening half and were full value for their 10-3 interval lead.

The Ardscoil scrum was in big trouble especially in the opening minutes when Rockwell won a scrum against the head five meters from their own line.Rockwell's Bryan McLaughlin is pulled down short of the line by the Ardscoil Rís defence

Ardscoil were forced to rejig their back line after nine minutes with Patrick Ryan coming in for the injured Jack O’Donnell.

Having missed a penalty effort on twenty minutes, Bill Johnston made no mistake four minutes later to give Rockwell the lead but that only lasted three minutes when Conor Fitzgerald levelled for the Limerick side.

Six minutes before half time Mikey Wilson barged over the line for a Rockwell try and Johnston converted.
Ardscoil Rís scrum-half Hugh Bourke with the box-kick

Fitzgerald closed the gap to four points with a penalty for Ardscoil on 51 minutes but two penalties from Johnston had Rockwell leading 16-6 with ten minutes remaining.

Ardscoil never gave up and pressure by their pack was rewarded with a try from Ian Brown which Fitzgerald converted to leave three between the sides and six minutes remaining.

Three minutes from time Bill Johnston was yellow carded, but Rockwell kept Ardscoil pinned back and were rewarded with McLaughlin’s late try.

Scorers
Ardscoil Rís: Try: I Brown, Penalties: C Fitzgerald (2) Conversion: C Fitzgerald.
Rockwell College: Tries: M Wilson, B McLaughlin Penalties: B Johnston 3 Conversions: B Johnston and T McHale

Rockwell College: Tim McHale; Diarmuid Gallagher, Lee Molloy, Conor Cashman, Kieran Moynihan; Bill Johnston, Daryl Egan; Niall Campion, Ben Murray, James Kendrick; Sean O’Connor, Jack Binchy; Micky Wilson, Brian McLoughlin, Michael Casey.
Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Conor Beary, Jack Tierney, Bill O’Brien, John Power, Joshua Pickering, Elliot Stone, Jamie Stone.

Ardscoil Rís: Darren Gavin; Nathan Randles, Jack O’Donnell, Peadar Collins, Marcus McManemy; Conor Fitzgerald, Hugh Bourke; Pierce Lyons, Ty Chan, Andrew Coffey; Bara O’Byrne, Ronan Coffey; Oisin Bernard, Ian Brown, Darragh Ryan.
Replacements: Conor Cannon, Jack Sexton, Stephen Monaghan, Luke Moylan, Diarmaid Scannell, Evan Cusack, Liam Brock, Patrick Ryan.

Referee: George Clancy (MAR).