Glenstal Abbey Advance To Schools Senior Semi-Finals

Glenstal Abbey qualified for the semi-finals of the Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Senior Cup for the second successive year as they defeated Bandon Grammar 26-7 at the Mardyke on Thursday afternoon.

The County Limerick side will meet Crescent College Comprehensive in the semi-final and holders PBC will meet local rivals CBC in the other semi-final with ties set to take place during the week commencing February 26.

Both sides had their moments in a scoreless opening quarter but solid defensive work by Glenstal prevented the West Cork side from putting points on the board.

Minutes later, handling errors inside the Bandon Grammar 22, were proving costly for the County Limerick side.

The deadlock was broken in the 27th minute when Ronan Quinn barged over in the corner for the game’s opening try, following a five-metre penalty, which Glenstal opted to run. Ben Healy converted from a difficult angle.

Glenstal continued to have the West Cork side on the back-foot approaching the break and they were then back on the score sheet with a try next to the posts from Andrew Hogan, which Healy converted on the stroke of half-time

The County Limerick side stretched the margin to 21 points within four minutes of the restart when the ball was spread out to Harry Brenner, following a line-out on the Bandon Grammar 22, for a try in the corner. Healy added his third conversion.

Bandon Grammar opened their account midway through the second half with a try from Tom Beare as he gained an advantage from a Glenstal handling error. Jack Crowley converted to reduce the deficit to 14 points.

Glenstal put the game beyond the West Cork side’s reach when Quinn scored his second try in the corner, seven minutes from time.

Bandon Grammar: Soren Minihane; Bobby Ahern, Victor Lovell, Bruce Matthews, Harry Hall; Rowan Palmer, Jack Crowley; Conor Hearney, Alex O’Connor, Ashley Deane; Nico Bakker, Josh Brady; Michael Archer, John Beamish, Niall Beamish.

Replacements: David Ogden, Tom Bryant, Paul Jackson, Eoghan Guinevan, Thomas Beare, Ciaran Roberts, Sean Madden.

Glenstal Abbey: Aran Egan; Andrew Hogan, Henry Benner, Caolan Dooley, Ronan Quinn; Ben Healy, Andrew Walsh; Harry Boland, George Downing, Patrick Prendergast; David Kelly, James Fitzgerald; Mark Walsh, Ronan Leahy, Mark Fleming.

Replacements: Eoghan Fitzgerald, Donagh Hyland, John Ashe, Niall Quelly, Padraic Mulligan, Brian Leonard, Scott McKeown, Mark O’Farrell.

Referee: Shane Kierans (MAR).