Late Drama In Musgrave As Crescent College Force CBC Replay

There was late drama in Musgrave Park this afternoon as reigning champions Crescent College Comprehensive came from 15-3 behind to level the game and force a replay with CBC in the Pinergy Munster Schools Boys Senior Cup semi-final.

CBC led 15-3 going into the final minutes but two very late Crescent tries and a touchline conversion means the sides will do it all again next week in Thomond Park after the match finished 15-15.

In the opening 20 minutes Crescent College dominated territory and possession but they weren’t able to break through some superb CBC defence. Although the Cork school defended well, they had Éanna McCarthy sent to the bin for repeated infringements.

The Limerick school opted for the posts to get the game’s opening score but Eoin O’Callaghan’s long-range penalty attempt went wide of the posts.

It was then CBC’s turn to take a shot at goal but Benjamin Lynch’s kick also went wide.

Crescent were pinged soon after which gave Lynch another long-range opportunity and his effort sailed through the posts to give CBC a 3-0 lead after 23 minutes.

Entering the last five minutes of the opening half, a powerful lineout maul saw CBC’s Adam Wrona power over for the game’s opening try with Lynch missing the conversion.

Crescent played the remaining five minutes of the first half deep in CBC territory but the Cork school defended resolutely once again to leave the score 8-0 at the break.

A mistake on the kick-off from CBC allowed Crescent an early shot at goal which Eoin O’Callaghan converted to reduce the deficit to 8-3.

There were no scores in the next 25 minutes but CBC got that crucial second try when a mistake in the Crescent backfield allowed Christopher Barrett to score which Lynch converted to give CBC a 15-3 lead.

CBC’s Christopher Barrett celebrates scoring a try ©INPHO

Crescent tried their best to get back in the game but it looked like time was running out for the reigning champions. However, a clever play from a penalty 5m out from the CBC line saw Cathal Lanigan Ryan crash over with O’Callaghan’s wide with the conversion.

Despite that miss, Crescent came roaring back again in the dying seconds, this time some nice footwork from Jed O’Dwyer set O’Callaghan free down the wing where he beat the last defender to touch down in the corner. The outside centre then superbly converted his own try from the touchline to force a replay which will be played in Thomond Park next week.

Update: The replay will be played on Thursday, 2nd March in Thomond Park (KO 2pm). 

Crescent College Comprehensive’s Eoin O’Callaghan slots the conversion over from the sideline to level the game ©INPHO

CBC: Benjamin Lynch, Christopher Barrett, Alex O’Connell, Gavin O’Riordan, Evan Cahill Murphy, Charlie Patrick O’Shea, Jack Casey; Sam Loftus, Adam Wrona, Harry Foster, Michael Doyle, Michael Foy, Mark Skelly, Daniel Rock, Éanna McCarthy.

Replacements: Stephen O’Shaughnessy, Cian Walsh, Denis Callaghan, Conor Kennelly, George Good, Odhran Prenter, Conor Foley, Leo O’Leary, Ronan O’Keefe, Jack O’Callaghan.

Crescent College: Jed O’Dwyer, Evan Cusack, Eoin O’Callaghan, Joe McEnery, Josh Boland, Ryan Godfrey, Marcus Lyons; Mark Fitzgerald, Conor Clery, Dennis O’Dwyer, Jack Somers, Sean Magee, Fionn Casserly, Andrew Ahearne, Cillian Kelly.

Replacements: Jonathan Byrne, Cathal Lanigan Ryan, Conor Ryan, Jordan Power, Charlie Fenton, Cormac Quinn, Michael O’Mara, Oscar Davey, Ben Gallagher, Evan Bennett.

Referee: Joy Neville

Elsewhere in school’s cup action on Tuesday, Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí beat Bandon Grammar School 32-10 in Dunmanway to progress to the semi-finals of the Munster Schools Girls Junior Cup. We will have a round-up of all the Girls Schools Cup action later this week.