Crescent win far from comprehensive

IT wasn’t always easy, but Crescent Comprehensive were worthy winners of yesterday’s Avonmore Munster Schools Senior Cup clash with Limerick city rivals Ard Scoil Rís at Dooradoyle.

In an intense game, both sides made many handling errors and a delighted Crescent coach and former international scrum half Tom Tierney admitted it was a less than spectacular encounter. “Yeah, first round of the cup and there were a lot of nerves; we were on top in those first 25 but very nervous and that’s natural.”

Ard Scoil can have no complaints about the outcome, even though it took a double whammy inside three minutes late in the first half to help put them to the sword.

They were restricted to chances at the end of each half to keep them in the game. As the clock ticked towards half-time they found a lifeline but they conceded another score 13 minutes from the end and didn’t have enough in the tank to complete the comeback.

Ard Scoil captain Peter McGann, prop David Canny and second row Eoin McCabe battled bravely throughout, Crescent just had a little too much up front, with Sean Monaghan, Padraic Ryan, Jack Dinneen and substitute Jack Donovan providing much-needed possession.

Although Jamie McGarry’s brilliant first half run will rank as one of the highlights of the afternoon, Crescent offered more power and panache behind the scrum, with Brian Murphy, Diarmuid Dee, Greg Barry and Larry Hanley using possession wisely.

Hanley’s kicking out of hand kept Ard Scoil pinned back, while Murphy’s breaks from the back caused trouble time and again.

Nevertheless the opening try came from Hanley in the 28th minute shortly after Dee opened the scoring with a penalty. When an Ard Scoil back move broke down in midfield; the ball was hacked on and Hanley got the touch for a try that Dee converted.

McGarry’s spectacular run should have yielded a try in itself for the losers, but the centre was halted short by Murphy’s excellent tackle. From a tapped penalty, however, Eoin McCabe powered over for an unconverted try to leave just five points between the sides at the break.

Crescent reacted well to that blow. They were stopped twice on the Ard Scoil line by some vigorous and focused defence, but they were not to be denied although they were forced to take a different route to produce the clinching try.

Having seen all their direct assaults repelled, centre Greg Barry reacted brilliantly when put in space on the narrow side. He sensed the cover was closing in, so he chipped through and the ball held up perfectly over the line for sub Donovan to dive on it for the try.

Down to 14 men when Niall Horan was shown yellow, Crescent had their defence tested in the closing minutes but never flinched.

CRESCENT COMPREHENSIVE: B Murphy, P O’Sullivan, D Dee, G Barry, C Buckley, L Hanley, M Darcy, C O’Connor, R Kavanagh, N Horan, S Stanley, J Dinneen, B McSweeney, S Monaghan (captain), P Ryan.

Replacements: J Donovan for Stanley (45), M McElligott for Dee (64), Temporary, J Keays for McSweeney (65-70).

ARD SCOIL RÍS: K Phelan, A McNamara, J McGarry, A O’Byrne, A McGrath, R Collins, S Noonan, D Canny, D O’Shea, B Masterson, P O’Sullivan, E McCabe, C Power, P McGann (captain), P Hodnett.

Replacements: C McLoughlin for Noonan (30), E Farrell for McGarry (63), S Considine for McGrath (64)

Referee: F Butler (M.A.R).