Old Crescent and Young Munster came off second best in their Quarter Finals

UL Bohemians put a poor start to their league campaign behind them as they ran out 27-19 winners at a wet and windy Rosbrien on Thursday night. Bohs didn’t get off to the best start however when Old Crescent’s Larry Hanly scored after only 5 minutes of play but they responded well when Mike Mullaly struck for a penalty a few minutes later.

Crescent were in again a short time after when Kevin Meade got his side’s second leaving the score at 12-3 and things weren’t looking too good for the University of Limerick side again. Nonetheless Christy Neilan’s side rallied only four minutes later and dotted down before going into the lead 10 minutes later when Harry Fleming scored 2 in quick succession. Mike Mullaly converted one of the scores leaving the side 15-12 for the away sides first lead in the match

Things got even better for The Robins when Adrian Enright got over for a third unanswered first half try to leave Bohs going in at the break leading 20-12 in what were extremely difficult conditions on the night/

The second half was a much different story, whilst there was an early try from Crescent’s Tabitha Tioa which was converted by Ronan McKenna, there wasn’t another score until the 79th minute when the travelling side were awarded a penalty try which guaranteed them a semi-final against Bruff. Old Crescent will be disappointed not to come away with a victory but were always up against it competing against a side playing their league rugby 2 divisions ahead of them.

In the other local Quarter final played over the weekend, Garryowen, with the help of Neil Cronin, defeated rivals Young Munster on a scoreline of 19-16. Cronin put the host’s into the lead in the first quarter with two penalties cancelling out Munster’s one in what were again very difficult playing conditions.

The scrum half then blocked down a box kick only a few minutes later before pouncing on the breaking ball and getting his side’s first try which he impressively converted against a whirling wind. This score left the sides 10-6 apart in favour of the light blues after the cookies’ Shane Airey slotted another 3 points.

It was an even tighter affair in the second half and started in a similar fashion as the first with the ever reliant Cronin adding to his tally with another three points before adding another with just 15 minutes left, leaving the score at 16-6.

Gearoid Prendergast’s side had it all to do playing against the wind, but fought hard and scored two unanswered tries from young wingers Tom McHale and Evan O’Gorman. Airey couldn’t convert either in the testing conditions which set up a tense final few minutes with the sides level at 16 all.

There was a controversial penalty awarded to Garryowen at scrum time in the dying stages of the game and Captain Neil Cronin stepped up to send his side into a semi final against 6 in a row chasing Cork Con who defeated UCC in the other quarter final on Sunday.