Rockwell College 16
PBC 13
Rockwell College held on for an impressive Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Junior Cup win over Presentation Brothers College, beating the Cork men 16-13 in Musgrave Park.
When the sides met a fortnight ago in the Senior Cup at the same venue, Pres were comfortable 31-9 winners, but today belonged to the Co Tipperary school who secured a semi-final berth with the win.
The game shot to life in the second half after a low-key opening period where both teams tried to get to grips with the game and the occasion.
The sides traded penalties in the first quarter as Rockwell couldn’t convert early pressure into a try. Rory Collins’ early penalty was cancelled out by a Ben O’Connor kick for PBC.
Collins kicked Rockwell back in front on 24 minutes however, while the Cashel school had the better of possession and territory, clear-cut chances were hard to come by.
Pres came out all guns blazing after the break and the Cork side took the lead for the first time when Hughie O’Callaghan crossed in the second minute of the half.
However, the response from Rockwell was fierce and immediate. Captain Henry Buttimer broke the line and sauntered home for a try of his own four minutes later. Collins’ conversion gave Rockwell a 13-8 advantage. The in-form fly-half added a penalty to increase the lead to two scores.
But PBC didn’t lie down. And when O’Connor crossed for his sides’ second try of the half, he set up a dramatic finish.
A late penalty to level the game dropped short and PBC couldn’t create a chance in the closing stages as Rockwell join Castletroy College of Limerick in the last four.
ROCKWELL COLLEGE:
C Hogan, D Achimugu, R Wall, H Buttimer, P McGarry, R Collins, T Ross; L Cummins, C Meaney, J Browne, O Ediale, E Dunphy, T Downey, S Neville, B Gleeson.
Replacements: B Farrelly, D Moroney.
PBC:
S McLoughlin, D Holohan-Healy, A Cooke, P Hyland, A Twomey, B Kiernan, B O’Connor; F Cowhig, I Dennihy, H O’Callaghan, C Ford, J Sheahan, B Hyland, D McCarty, M Howell.
Replacements: D Sheahan, F Roussel, R O’Donoghue, R O’Shaughnessy, D Philpott, D Nagle, J Kiernan, S Sexton.
Referee: David O’Riordan.
