Munster Schools Boys Junior Cup Round-Up

Ardscoil Rís and PBC will meet in the final of this year’s Munster Schools Boys Junior Cup after they both won their semi-final ties at a chilly Thomond Park this afternoon.

Ardscoil Rís had to survive a comeback from Castletroy College but the North Circular Road school prevailed 23-17 to secure their passage into the final.

PBC meanwhile, came from 17-0 down to win 17-21 against St Munchin’s College in the later game.

Please find round-ups of both games below:

Castletroy College 17 – 23 Ardscoil Rís

Ardscoil got off to a fast start when Frank Sheehan Williams dotted down in the opening two minutes after some good attacking play. James Butler converted to give Ardscoil a 7-0 lead.

Daniel O’Connell got Ardscoil’s second try when he crossed in the corner and they took a 12-0 lead before Butler added two successive penalties to give his side an 18-0 lead.

Both sides received yellow cards in that first half and it was Ardscoil who struck first in the second half when Lloyd Costelloe crossed for his side’s third try. The missed conversion saw Ardscoil’s lead stretch to 23-0 and they wouldn’t score again as Castletroy mounted their comeback.

A try from Travis Tchokotieu was converted by Robbie Widger before Ronan Collopy crossed from close-range to reduce the deficit to 23-12.

Robert O’Donnell then went over in the corner for Castletroy with the missed conversion seeing the lead reduced to 23-17.

Castletroy had possession 10 metres out from the Ardscoil line with the clock in the red but a knock-on put an end to the game as Ardscoil advance to the final.

Castletroy College: Robbie Widger, Tyler Kelly, Robert O’Donnell, Joel Rowntree, Pierce Walter, Conor Gavin, Ronan Collopy; Mark Hickey, Cian O’Hanlan, Trevor Tchokotieu, Donncha Donnelly, Adam Power, Ben O’Connell, Travis Tchokotieu, Cillian McNamara.

Replacements: Kevin Griffin, Jordi Frigola Ward, Andrew Berkery, Denis Blackwell, Sam Prendergast, Cormac Devitt, Michael Flannery, Sean Quilter, Robert Sheehan, David Joseph.

Ardscoil Rís: Frank Sheehan Williams, Daniel O’Connell, Leo Connolly, Aaron Kelly, Dylan Quirke, James Butler, Ollie Desmond; Jamie Kelly, David Salmon, Lochlann Brown, Lloyd Costelloe, Daniel O’Flaherty, Jack Rafferty, Brendan Morrissey, Darragh Leyden.

Replacements: Jack Hartigan, Jake Das, Matthew Collins, Christian Cantillon, Brian O’Loughlin, Cathal O’Doherty, Conor Ryan, Louis O’Flanagan, Alexander Fennell, Jack Thorne.

Referee: Mike Scanlan

St Munchins 17 – 21 PBC

Munchin’s got off to a fast start after a great run from Alex Quinn saw the winger cross in the corner. Oisin Madden’s difficult conversion attempt went wide as the Limerick school took an early 5-0 lead.

Munchin’s continued to apply pressure but Pres were holding firm and ended up holding the Limerick school up over their own line to thwart a second try.

Towards the end of the first half, PBC received a yellow card and soon after, Quinn went over in the corner for his side’s second try which was converted brilliantly by Madden from the touchline.

St. Munchin’s College’s Calum Kirwan is tackled by Diarmuid Sheehy of PBC
©INPHO

This gave St Munchin’s a deserved 12-0 lead at the break.

At the beginning of the second half, Quinn was denied a third try after a superb last ditch tackle from Daniel Mellerick saw the winger spill the ball. The hattrick wasn’t to be denied, however, as minutes later, Quinn’s acceleration got him his third try as Munchin’s lead was stretched to 17-0.

All of a sudden, the game turned on its head and it went the way of PBC.

Fionn O’Sullivan got a much needed try for the Cork school which was converted by Daniel Murphy before a block down saw Bobby O’Callaghan go over for his side’s second try which was converted by Murphy to reduce the deficit to just three points.

O’Sullivan went over for his second try with just over five minutes remaining in the second half which was converted by Murphy which saw PBC take a 21-17 lead.

Munchin’s pushed for the winning score in the closing moments but were unable to find a breakthrough as PBC now look forward to a final meeting with Ardscoil Rís in three weeks time.

St Munchin’s College: Ryan Angley, Adam Naughton, Adam McGlynn, Brendan Minogue, Alex Quinn, Oisin Madden, Darragh Dillon; Calum Kirwan, Adam O’Shaughnessy, Donnacha Colgan, Cillian McGrath, Eoin Coughlan, Ciaran Howard, Paddy Dowling, Dan Foley.

Replacements: Zaid Alkhous, Michael Landers, Cian Gibbons, Adam Burke, Alex Mitchell, Jack Meaney, Paddy O’Driscoll, Brian Carr, Denis O’Driscoll, Josh Aylmer.

PBC: Sé Clarke, Daniel Murphy, Daniel Mellerick, Charles Hill, Luke Neenan, Olan Healy, Frankie Og Sheahan; Diarmuid Sheehy, Joseph Healy, Fionn O’Sullivan, Olan Dillon, Cathal Bruhn, Conor McLoughlin, Cormac Bohan, Tom Murray.

Replacements: Ronan Twomey, Rory Cahill, Sam O’Leary, Daniel Ryan, Mikey Fitzgerald, Rian Macfarlane O’Shea, Dan O’Leary, Eddie Dooley, Michael Brown, Bobby O’Callaghan.

Referee: Tomas O’Sullivan