Defending champions Crescent College Comprehensive through to Munster Schools Junior Cup Final

Crescent College Comprehensive are through to this year’s Munster Schools Junior Cup final after they overcame opponents Castletroy College 19-5 at the UL North Campus yesterday afternoon.

The defending champions have now set themselves up for a final that will be played on St Patrick’s day in Thomond park either against Cork schools Presentation Brothers College or Christian Brothers College. Sporting Limerick will be providing live twitter updates of that game throughout the afternoon. .

In the 4th minute Crescent got their first try of the match when David Russell blocked down a kick by a Castletroy player which James McKeogh gathered and ran left of the posts to touch down for the try which was converted by fly half Jack Delaney.

Crescent dominated territory after they scored their try but they were unable to get by Castletroy’s brilliant defence and convert pressure to points for the remainder of the first half.

Castletroy created a lot of space as well through carries by Jack Moloney and full back Rory Murphy but they were unable to get near the try line as they were held up by the Crescent boys.

Crescent College started the second half as they started the first half, and with the wind at their backs they soon went in for their second try of the match after an incisive run through the Castletroy defence by Centre Tony O’Sullivan who crossed for a fine solo try. Delaney converted his second kick of the game to make the score 14-0 35 minutes into the game.

5 minutes later Crescent got another try after a line out ball bounced in front of Delaney who gathered the ball and side stepped his opponent to score his first and his team’s third try of the game. Although he missed his own conversion his side were now 19-0 up on Castletroy.

Castletroy were now in big trouble and the game was beyond them but they worked hard and in the 58th minute got an unconverted try through Ronan Kiely. It showed some resolve but they had left themselves with too much to do.

The game finished 19-5 with Crescent College who were full value for their victory and dominated from start to finish.

Despite a rather comfortable win, Crescent will know that regardless of their opponents in the final, the will need an improved performance if they are to retain their trophy on St Patrick’s Day.

Player of the Match:
For Castletroy College they had many good players who worked hard and tirelessly for their team such as Robert Magill, Dylan Mc Mahon and Andrew Shanahan but without doubt the award has to go to Crescent Colleges tremendous fly half Jack Delaney. He was superb all afternoon, especially in defence and even went over the line for his own try. If the young Limerick student keeps up this form for the final Crescents opponents will want to have an eye on him.

Castletroy College:
1. Jason McCormack 2. Robert Magill 3. Sean O’Shea 4. John Moloney 5. Oisín O’Shea 6. Sean Quirke 7. Cian White 8. Dylan McMahon 9. Michael O’Hanrahan 10. Andrew Shanahan 11. Louis Cunneen 12. Andrew Rowsome 13. Jason Aylward 14. Daniel McDonagh 15. Rory Murphy
Replacements: 16. Dean McGinn, 17. Sean O’Neill, 18. Sean DenDikken, 19. Jamie McNamara, 20. Ronan Kiely, 21. John Toland, 22. Darragh Kileen, 23. Stephen McNamara, 24. Sam Hanrahan, 25. Paul Ross.

Crescent College Comprehensive:
1. Ethan O’Sullivan 2. Joshua Fitzgerald 3. Jamie Cross 4. David Doyle 5. Sean Malone 6. Barry Scott 7. James McKeogh 8. David Rickard 9. Jake Connolly 10. Jack Delaney 11. Ben Cosgrove 12. Tony O’Sullivan 13. Seamus Hurley 14. Gary Kelly 15. Colm Quilligan
Replacements:16. Dara Spillane, 17. Joseph Rickard, 18. Ben O’Sullivan, 19. Aodhan Herbert, 20. Luke Burke, 21. Oisín Evans, 22. Ben Davey, 23. Darragh O’Shea, 24. Eoin Cantillon Mann, 25. Darragh Fenton.