Shock in Avonmore Milk Schools Senior Cup

Bandon Grammar 13, Glenstal Abbey 12. Glenstal Abbey were sensationally knocked out of the Avonmore Milk Schools Senior Cup by Bandon Grammar at the Bandon Rugby complex.

The Co Limerick School were on top for long periods but could not penetrate a solid Bandon defence.

The home side took a surprising lead on nine minutes when an up an under by Bandon out half Darren Sweetman was knocked on by Glenstal but referee Colin McTaggart allowed advantage as Bandon’s center Conor Stallard gathered the ball and raced away to touch down. Sweetman converted to rock the visitors.

Winger Peter Barrett came close to scoring for Glenstal after good work by Conor Kearns and Ian McCarthy, but the Bandon cover was on hand to bundle him into touch.

Kearns opened Glenstal’s account with a penalty on twenty nine minutes but Sweetman restored his side’s seven point advantage minutes later.

A big talking point in the game came in first half injury time when Kearns saw his penalty attempt on the Twenty Two from in front of the post sail wide of the target to leave Bandon leading 10-3 at the break.

Gradually Glenstal got themselves back into the contest as Bandon were penalised on numerous occasions, which led to a yellow card to a Bandon player. Kearns converted penalties on 38, 42 and fifty minutes to put his side in front.

However this woke Bandon up and their pack raised their game to have the visitors on the back foot with some excellent work by Henry Travers, Sean Hunter and skipper Jack Bendon.

Fifteen minutes from time Bandon regained the lead when a penalty by Sweetman, hit the cross bar and dropped over to give them a single point lead.

Glenstal’s full back Andrew Moloney who had an excellent game and winger Bill Connors made some darting runs in an effort to get the Limerick side back into the contest. Their only reward were two long range penalty efforts by Kearns in the final minute but both went wide of the target,

Scorers Bandon Grammar: C Stallard try, D Sweetman con, 2 pens.
Glenstal Abbey: C Kearns 4 pens.

Bandon Grammar: C Pullin; C Moloney, C Stallard, W Godsil, R Skuse; D Sweetnam, J Robinson; S Kingston, D Boyd, S McElroy; D Reynolds, A Tanner; S Hunter, J Bendon (c), H Travers.
Replacement for Bandon Grammar: A Tyrell for A Tanner (22-27 blood, 47.
Glenstal Abbey:A Moloney;B Connors,H Byrne, D Costello,P Barrett;C Kearns,T Crotty;D O’Callaghan,D Healy,N Frisby;P Deignan,M Allen;J Murray,I McCarthy,L Mungovan.
Referee: C McTaggart (M.A.R.)