Cork Constitution Win Crowley Cup

Cork Constitution continued their good run in their annual fixture with U.C.C. on St. Stephen’s Day with a deserved victory at Temple Hill before a sizeable attendance.

Cork Constitution 23, UCC 6.
Both these sides used this game as a warm up ahead of Ulster Bank League games next weekend and also gave both coaches a chance to blood some of their more promising Under 21 players.
The students made the better start and went ahead with a penalty after seven minutes. Gerry Hurley levelled on nineteen minutes but Kingston restored College’s advantage minutes later with his second penalty.
The home side immediately fought back and they took the lead in the twenty-fourth minute when the ball was spread out to full back Danny O’Shea following a ruck in the Students’ Twenty-Two for a try in the corner which Hurley converted from a difficult angle.
The seconds half was one-way traffic in favour of the home side and Hurley increased their lead to 13-6 with his second penalty in the fifty- third minute.
Con’ retained the initiative for the remainder of the third quarter as No 8 James Ryan was proving to be a handful around the fringes, but bad handling and infringements in set-pieces proved to be costly.
The home side were back on the scoresheet eight minutes from time when they were awarded a penalty following a five-metre lineout which Hurley converted to leave ten points between the sides.
In the final piece of action Con’ scored their second try when right winger Cathal Quinn barged over in the corner for a try following a ruck on the College Twenty-Two and substitute Brendan Monaghan converted with the last kick of the game.
Scorers: Cork Constitution: Danny O’Shea & Cathal Quinn 1 try each; Gerry Hurley 3 penalties & 1 conversion; Brendan Monaghan 1 conversion.
UCC: Brian Kingston 2 penalties.
Cork Constitution: Danny O’Shea; Cathal Quinn, Niall O’Driscoll, Ivan Dineen, Rob Clune; John Holland, Gerry Hurley; Gareth Murray, Kieran Stokes, John Ryan; Brian Hayes, Alan Ross; Joe McSweeney, Brian O’Hara, James Ryan.
Replacements: Chris Corkery, Brian Vaughan, Andrew Cudmore, Brian Cagney, Andy White, Dean Nolan, Pat McCarthy, Sean Og Murphy, Eoin O’Donnell, Brendan Monaghan.
UCC: Gavin Nugent; Joe Holland, Garrett O’Suilleabhain, Pat Parfrey, Billy Newman; Brian Kingston, Brian Slater; Ronan O'Neill, Wayne Falvey, Paddy Ryan; Mike Lenihan, Brian Quill; Willie Ryan, John McCarthy, Luke Cahill.
Replacements: Peter McCabe, Brian Scott, Rory O’Donoghue, Cyprian Jouve, Dan Hoare, Rona Barry, Darragh McNamara, James Kiernan.
Referee: Richard Horgan (M.A.R.)