Schools Senior Cup | Bandon Grammar & Glenstal Abbey Record Dramatic Draw

Bandon Grammar and Glenstal Abbey recorded a dramatic 15-15 draw in the quarter-finals of the Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Senior Cup at Irish Independent Park.

Holders Glenstal took the lead through wing Dan O’Mahony getting on the end of a high ball to race down the right wing and score his side’s first try of the match, converted by captain Caolan Dooley in the 15th minute.

Bandon soon responded with the pack carrying effectively in the close quarters to allow Number 8 Niall Beamish to crash over before captain Jack Crowley added the conversion to level the scores.

Half-time: Bandon Grammar School 7-7 Glenstal Abbey School

A penalty after the break for Bandon resulted in Crowley taking the lead for his side, as the game remained close.

In the 50th minute, Dooley fought back with a penalty of his own to level the scores at 10-10.

Bandon found themselves in try-scoring territory and were rewarded when Crowley made his way over in the 65th minute to take the lead once more.

Glenstal fought back in the closing stages and after several attempts and a series of penalties in their favour, it was replacement Taylor Gleeson’s try in the right corner which equalised in injury time.

Dooley stepped up for the winning conversion but it was pushed wide in the final play of the match to signal a replay for both schools.

The replay match will take place as part of a double-header with the Ardscoil Ris v Castletroy Schools Junior Cup quarter-final match on Tuesday 26 February at Thomond Park (kick-off 3.30pm).

The Schools Junior Cup game between Ardscoil Ris and Castletroy has been brought forward to 1.30pm from its original kick-off time of 2pm.

Full-time: Bandon Grammar School 15-15 Glenstal Abbey School

Bandon Grammar: Soren Minihane; Tom Beare, Joshua D’Alton, Bruce Matthews, Harry Hall; Jack Crowley (C), Ciaran Roberts; David Ogden, Michael Archer, Conor Heaney, Moses Lynn, Joshua Brady, Nick Greene, John Beamish, Niall Beamish. Replacements: Brian O’Donnell, Alex O’Connor, Chris Coomey, James O’Donovan, Sam Golden, Rowan Palmer, Robert O’Connor, Jack Walsh, Eoghan Nash, Niall Barrett, Dirk-Jan Bakker, David Twomey.

Glenstal Abbey: Ruairi Woodcock; Dan O’Mahony, Harry Benner, William Twomey, Emmet Aylward; Caolan Dooley (C); Brian Leonard; Donagh Hyland, Matthew Lynch, John Ashe, Tiernan Ryan, Cormac Frawley, Scott MacKeown, Eoghan Fitzgerald, Niall Queally. Replacements: Matthew Cannon, Seamus Kerrisk, Max Downing, Angus MacDonald, Daragh Butler, Marcus Esmonde, Cian O’Farrell, Darragh Hanly, Aidan Booth, Taylor Gleeson.

Referee: Paudie Sheehan (MAR)