CBC CORK MADE it third time lucky against Crescent College Comprehensive and booked their place in the Munster Schools Senior Cup quarter-finals.
Comp came out on top when these sides met in 2014 and 2015, but two second-half tries from Alex McHenry saw Christians turn the tables in Thomond Park on Tuesday afternoon.
On a perfect day for rugby, a lapse in concentration allowed the Limerick side to get off to a perfect start. Crescent’s backline executed a perfect back door move off an early scrum with centre Billy O’Hora hitting out half Matthew Hanley on a loop, who in turn put winger Glenn Dickinson over in the corner after only 90 seconds.
The impressive Daniel Hurley was short with the touchline conversion but CBC looked to be rocked by Comp’s early score.
It was by no means a vintage cup game, and both sides played running rugby from deep which was exciting for the neutral. Comp tried one offload too many and with a poorly resourced ruck conceded a penalty for holding on 30 metres out. Ice cool Christians’ out-half James Taylor split the posts to make it 5-3 after 10 minutes.
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With both teams spurning opportunities in the opposition 22, the score remained the same going into the half.
Matthew Hanly holds off James Taylor. Donall Farmer / INPHO
Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO
Billy O'Hara tries to bring down John O'Hea. Donall Farmer / INPHO
Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO
After the interval there was a more conservative approach from both sides but handling errors again disrupted the flow of the game. CBC began to get change out of Crescent’s set piece with number eight and captain Daire Feeney stealing a number of lineouts which gave the Cork men good field position.
Christians seemed that bit more assured in the final quarter and that is when they raised the tempo. Taylor found touch from a penalty just outside the Comp 22, and when Feeney won the lineout, quick hands sent inside centre McHenry under the posts untouched. Taylor slotted the conversion to make it 10-5 with 10 minutes remaining.
Crescent did have opportunities deep in CBC territory, but unforced errors coupled with aggressive Christians defense shut them out.
Deep in stoppage time CBC went through the phases and McHenry was again on hand to crash over under the posts to seal the victory, with Taylor adding the extras for a 12-point win.
CBC scorers:Tries: Alex McHenry (2)
Conversions: James Taylor (2)
Penalties: James Taylor
Crescent scorers:
Try: Glenn Dickinson
CBC: Liam Coombes; Oisin Conway, Joe Harrington, Alex McHenry, Ian Casey; James Taylor, Richard Cassidy; James Humphries, Gordon Good, Conor Leahy; Richard Thompson, Sean Duffy; Ross O’Neill, Robert Hyde, Daire Feeney (captain).
Replacements: Shane Bushe, Peter Kelleher, Ciaran McHugh, Declan Barry, Eoghan Cahill, Colin Sisk, JD O’Hea, Robert Hedderman.
Crescent: Daniel Hurley; Glen Dickenson, Calvin Nash (captain), Billy O’Hora, Jake Fehilly; Matthew Hanly, Jack Lyons; Jack Henchy, Jason Barry, Thomas Connolly; Fintan Coleman, John Blake; Niall Mulcahy, Peter Ian Hickey, Bailey Faloon.
Replacements: Michael Sheahen, Anson Thai, Scott Leahy, Daniel Feasey, Mark Edwards, Mark Shanahan, Conor Philips.
McHenry doubles down as Christians trump Crescent in Munster Senior Cup
CBC 17
Crescent College 5
CBC CORK MADE it third time lucky against Crescent College Comprehensive and booked their place in the Munster Schools Senior Cup quarter-finals.
Comp came out on top when these sides met in 2014 and 2015, but two second-half tries from Alex McHenry saw Christians turn the tables in Thomond Park on Tuesday afternoon.
On a perfect day for rugby, a lapse in concentration allowed the Limerick side to get off to a perfect start. Crescent’s backline executed a perfect back door move off an early scrum with centre Billy O’Hora hitting out half Matthew Hanley on a loop, who in turn put winger Glenn Dickinson over in the corner after only 90 seconds.
The impressive Daniel Hurley was short with the touchline conversion but CBC looked to be rocked by Comp’s early score.
It was by no means a vintage cup game, and both sides played running rugby from deep which was exciting for the neutral. Comp tried one offload too many and with a poorly resourced ruck conceded a penalty for holding on 30 metres out. Ice cool Christians’ out-half James Taylor split the posts to make it 5-3 after 10 minutes.
With both teams spurning opportunities in the opposition 22, the score remained the same going into the half.
After the interval there was a more conservative approach from both sides but handling errors again disrupted the flow of the game. CBC began to get change out of Crescent’s set piece with number eight and captain Daire Feeney stealing a number of lineouts which gave the Cork men good field position.
Christians seemed that bit more assured in the final quarter and that is when they raised the tempo. Taylor found touch from a penalty just outside the Comp 22, and when Feeney won the lineout, quick hands sent inside centre McHenry under the posts untouched. Taylor slotted the conversion to make it 10-5 with 10 minutes remaining.
Crescent did have opportunities deep in CBC territory, but unforced errors coupled with aggressive Christians defense shut them out.
Deep in stoppage time CBC went through the phases and McHenry was again on hand to crash over under the posts to seal the victory, with Taylor adding the extras for a 12-point win.
CBC: Liam Coombes; Oisin Conway, Joe Harrington, Alex McHenry, Ian Casey; James Taylor, Richard Cassidy; James Humphries, Gordon Good, Conor Leahy; Richard Thompson, Sean Duffy; Ross O’Neill, Robert Hyde, Daire Feeney (captain).
Replacements: Shane Bushe, Peter Kelleher, Ciaran McHugh, Declan Barry, Eoghan Cahill, Colin Sisk, JD O’Hea, Robert Hedderman.
Crescent: Daniel Hurley; Glen Dickenson, Calvin Nash (captain), Billy O’Hora, Jake Fehilly; Matthew Hanly, Jack Lyons; Jack Henchy, Jason Barry, Thomas Connolly; Fintan Coleman, John Blake; Niall Mulcahy, Peter Ian Hickey, Bailey Faloon.
Replacements: Michael Sheahen, Anson Thai, Scott Leahy, Daniel Feasey, Mark Edwards, Mark Shanahan, Conor Philips.
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