Rockwell edged a thrilling contest of two equally matched teams at Thomond Park yesterday to qualify for the March 27 final of the Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Junior Cup against holders St Munchins.

Crescent Comprehensive launched their bid for a second Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Junior Cup title in four years at Thomond Park today but were fully extended by a well drilled Glenstal Abbey side before emerging worthy 15-5 winners.

World Rugby U20 Championship: Ireland 39 - Japan 33: Irish coach Noel McNamara believes that many of his squad will go on to professional careers and represent the national senior side despite a miserable fortnight at the World Rugby U20 Championship.

Coach Noel McNamara is hopeful Ireland will learn to “put away” teams and finally get their first win of the World Rugby U20 Championship this afternoon against Scotland.

South Africa 30 Ireland 17: Ireland coach Noel McNamara said he has no doubt his U20s will regroup and have a crack at Georgia next Thursday despite falling to a second defeat in the World Rugby U20 Championship in France.

Ireland, ever-present in the tournament since it started in Wales in 2008, will face a baptism of fire this evening when they open their World Rugby U20 Championship campaign against France at Stade Aime Giral.

Bandon 29 Newcastle West/Estuary 17: Bandon began a dream day for the club with a 29-17 victory over Newcastle West/Estuary in the Munster U16 Plate final at Thomond Park.

England 48 - Ireland 15: Ireland capitulated in the second-half as their U20 Six Nations finished in disappointing fashion at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry.

The prospect of an Irish U20s jersey must have seemed a distant dream to a 16-year-old Tom O’Toole, as he looked out the window of Campbell College, in Belfast, on his first night at the school, and thought about the family he had left 10,000 miles behind, in Australia.

Ireland’s representatives at the U20s grade haven’t exactly made Donnybrook a fortress since swapping Dubarry Park for the Dublin venue midway through the 2015 Six Nations campaign.

Thousands of Irish kids could relate to Harry Byrne’s youthful admiration of Jonathan Sexton and Ronan O’Gara but Ireland’s U20s out-half had another role model to emulate much closer to home.

Romain Ntamack, son of former French star Emile, led the way as France opened their Six Nations campaign with a win but only after they held off a spirited Irish recovery.

It’s the job of the Ireland U20s coach to push and prod the players of tomorrow further down the development line but Noel McNamara found himself talking about one from the past yesterday.

Munster Development XV 10 Ireland U20 26: Two tries in the dying minutes by right winger Peter Sullivan gave Ireland U20 a flattering 26-10 victory over a Munster Development XV in a hard-fought but scrappy encounter at Thomond Park yesterday.

Leinster Development 30 Ireland U20 XV 26: Paul O’Connell returned to the national rugby fold yesterday as a 69th-minute try from Myles Carey helped the Leinster Development side defeat an Ireland U20 selection.

Ireland U20 head coach Peter Malone is looking forward to having another crack at New Zealand as he prepares to bring his side into battle for this summer’s World Rugby U20 Championships in Georgia, writes Daire Walsh.

Belvedere College 34 Newbridge College 0: Last year’s finalists Belvedere College delivered a near-perfect performance at Donnybrook yesterday afternoon, as they recorded a comprehensive victory over Newbridge College in the Leinster Schools’ Senior Cup first round.

Kerry captain Kieran Donaghy has been named as a substitute for Sunday’s All-Ireland SFC final against Dublin, while the Kingdom have also been forced to reconfigure their full-back line following the semi-final win against Tyrone.

Brian Herlihy has been appointed as the Cork minor football manager and his backroom team will feature a strong influence from the county’s 2010 All-Ireland-winning team.

Stephen O’Brien replaces Johnny Buckley in the only change to the Kerry side for Sunday’s All-Ireland SFC quarter-final with Kildare in Croke Park (2pm).

Cistercian College, Roscrea 20 Newbridge College 19

Cistercian College, Roscrea 8 Newbridge College 8: Drama aplenty in Donnybrook yesterday in the Leinster Schools’ Cup semi-final , but no decision.

Killeagh 1-18 Courcey Rovers 0-16

Cork SHC

Ballymartle 3-16 Courcey Rovers 0-15

Castletown-Geoghegan 1-12 St Oliver Plunkett’s 0-11

Kanturk 0 Tullamore 24

Round four of the Cork senior hurling championship at Pairc Ui Rinn on Saturday and also the unofficial Carrigdhoun divisional final as these two old foes went toe to toe in a typical tight derby battle.

Kerry South delivered a top drawer performance to stave off a late rally from Kerry North in the Plate final.

FORMER Cork senior football boss Larry Tompkins is one game away from claiming his first county title as a manager after his Mitchelstown side overcame Courcey Rovers 1-4 to 0-6 in dramatic fashion in the Cork JAFC semi-final in Páirc Uí Rinn last night.

BALLYMARTLE justified their status as championship favourites once more in Minane Bridge last night when they staved off a spirited challenge from local rivals Courcey Rovers before triumphing in the Evening Echo Cork PIHC semi-final.

Charlestown Sarsfields (Mayo) 1-9 Castlerea St. Kevin's (Roscommon) 0-11 (AET)

COURCEY ROVERS retained their intermediate status following a workmanlike victory over Delanys in the Evening Echo Cork Co IFC relegation play-off (first round) at Belgooly on Saturday.

St Brogans, Bandon 3-7 Scoil Phobail, Sliabh Luachra 0-11