Crescent On Course To Retain Title

Crescent College overcame PBC 15-3 today at the Mardyke, Cork in their bid to retain the SEAT Munster Schools Senior Cup title.

Holders Crescent College Comprehensive are through to the semi finals of the SEAT Munster Schools Senior Cup after a deserved victory over P.B.C. at a packed Mardyke.

Playing with the aid of the wind in the first half John Poland opened the scoring with a penalty for Pres’ after thirteen minutes.

Slowly Crescent began to take control with Cormac Blake making a series of breaks from the base of the scrum and Mike O’Donnell and Liam McMahon were also making their presence felt in the forward exchanges.

The visitors’ backline were seeing more of the ball and JJ O’Neill and Will Leonard were posing problems for the Pres’ defence with some surging runs, but the Cork side’s defence held firm as Paul Kiernan was putting in some big hits in the middle of the park.

Five minutes before half time the game swung in Crescent’s favour when winger Calvin Nash gathered the ball inside his own half and raced to the line to score to give the Limerick side a 5-3 half time lead.

Three minutes into the second half Nash embarked on another darting run from the middle of the park following a lineout which David Fitzgerald won, to score his second try in the corner. McGibney added the extras to increase his side’s lead to 12-3.

Crescent put the game beyond the Mardyke College’s reach ten minutes from time when McGibney converted a penalty from outside the Cork side’s 22.

The Limerick side had to withstand a last gasp rally by Pres’ in the closing stages and they came close to scoring with time almost up when Graham Smith was held up on the line by the Crescent defence.

PBC: Rob Reardon; Billy Pope, Paul Kiernan (capt), Shane Daly, Cian Collins; Conor Flanagan, John Poland; Jake O’Donovan, Cian Stanton, Steve MacCarthy; David Fitzgerald, Cormac Dineen; Morgan Carey, Eoin Perry, David St Ledger.
Replacements: Joe Ring, Emmet McCarthy, Caolan O’Flynn, Kevin O’Leary, Graham Smith, Robin Reidy, Luke Merriman, Conor Murphy.

Crescent College: Jack Harrington; Jason O'Sullivan, JJ O'Neill, Will Leonard, Calvin Nash; Fionn McGibney, Gary Fitzgerald; Mike O'Donnell, Caolan Moloney, Liam McMahon; Robbie Scott, Johnny Keane; Sean Fitzgerald, Jay Kavanagh, Cormac Blake (capt).
Replacements: Jason Barry, Mark Rickard, Mike McGann, Cian Guerin, Rory Noone, Ed Barry, Billy O’Shea.

Referee: Dave Flynn (MAR).

Semi Final Draw

Wed, 5th March, St. Munchin's College v Ardscoil Rís

Fri, 7th March, Castletroy College v Crescent College Comprehensive