Crescent Progress To Junior Cup Quarters

Crescent College Comprehensive survived a first-half scare to overcome Bandon Grammar at Irish Independent Park and progress into the quarter-finals of the Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Junior Cup.

Bandon Grammar 7-32 Crescent College Comp

Three quick-fire tries either side of half-time secured the victory with three further tries in the final 20 minutes putting a gloss on the scoreline.

Pre-match favourites Crescent College Comp dominated in the territorial stakes early on as Bandon Grammar defended superbly to keep their line intact. Out-half Niall Barrett was kicking intelligently for the Cork school but his opposite number Jack Delaney always looked a threat with ball in hand for Crescent.

It seemed only a matter of time before the Limerick school hit the front and when they worked an overlap on the left flank, the opening score looked inevitably. That was before the intervention of Bandon winger Rowan Palmer, who read the play superbly and intercepted the pass before racing away 80 metres to score an outstanding individual try. Brian McSweeney converted and Bandon led 7-0 with 17 minutes on the clock.

That try rattled Crescent and a number of dropped balls in the slippy conditions followed but they continued to pressurise the Bandon defence. Their hard work finally paid off with three minutes left in the half as winger Darragh O’Shea finished well in the left corner after the backs created an overlap. The shackles were off now and Crescent hit the front just before the break after a superb run from the halfway line saw Colm Quilligan dot down under the posts with Delaney adding the extras.

The half-time break offered Bandon a brief respite but a third Crescent followed three minutes after the interval with O’Shea crossing in the left corner once again to make it 17-7.

A superb kick in behind led to Crescent’s fourth try on 40 minutes as the chasing Barry Moore was credited with the score. Scrum-half Jake Connolly was next to touch down after a quick-tap from close range and David Hickey rounded off the scoring with Crescent's sixth try.

Bandon Grammar Junior Cup Team
1. Christopher Coomey
2. Sam Golden
3. Adam Peevers
4. Thomas Blennerhassett
5. Andrew Dale
6. James O'Donovan
7. Nicholas Greene
8. Jason Connolly (C)
9. David Twomey
10. Niall Barrett
11. Chrion Obialor
12. Joshua D'Alton
13. Benjamin Sherlock
14. Rowan Palmer
15. Brian McSweeney

Replacements from: 16. Jack Appelbe, 17. David Harte, 18. Christopher Walton, 19. David Collis, 20. Jack Scanlon, 21.Andrew Guinevan, 22. Eoin Nash, 23. Louis Archer, 24. Harry Golden, 25. Johan van der Westhuizen, 26. Craig Bateman, 27. Kyle Buttimer.

Crescent College Comp Junior Cup Team
1. Ethan O'Sullivan
2. Joshua Fitzgerald
3. Jamie Cross
4. David Doyle
5. Sean Malone
6. Barry Scott
7. James McKeogh
8. David Rickard
9. Jake Connolly
10. Jack Delaney
11. Darragh O’Shea
12. Barry Moore
13. Seamus Hurley
14. Gary Kelly
15. Colm Quilligan

Replacements from: 16. Dara Spillane, 17. Ben O'Sullivan, 18. Joseph Rickard, 19. Luke Burke, 20. David Hickey, 21. Tony O'Sullivan, 22. Jack Cosgrove, 23. Ben Davey, 24. Darragh Fenton, 25. Dean O'Grady.