Rockwell cruise into semi-finals

Rockwell 34 St Clement’s 6

The Tipperary side now go through to meet the winners of today’s final quarter-final clash involving Árd Scoil Rís and Crescent quietly fancying their chances of winning the title for the 20th time and their first since 1997. They have a useful pack in which Daire Corcoran and Paddy Hayes looked especially useful, but it is behind the scrum that they showed a lot of potential, with Marcus O’Driscoll in the centre, Jonathan Corcoran on the right wing and full-back Daniel Lyons particularly impressive.

They had first use of the wind and were a little slow in making it pay in spite of their territorial domination. It took them 20 minutes to make the breakthrough when O’Driscoll touched down following a great run by Lyons. Lyons made it 10-0 on 27 minutes and right on half-time, Corcoran broke from a set piece and sent Hayes in for try number three which out-half and captain Conor Quinlan converted.

St Clement’s made every effort to get back into the game. Undaunted by a penalty miss by Brian Davis just before the interval, they piled on the pressure from the restart and forced Rockwell to concede a couple of close-range penalties, both of which were converted by Davis. After that, though, it was mostly Rockwell gained control over a tiring St Clement’s. After 55 minutes, Corcoran made a sparkling run of some 60 metres and although the movement broke down just short of the line, the winger was not to be denied when the ball came his way a few minutes later. Brendan Walsh and O’Driscoll struck for further tries in the closing minutes, the second of which Quinlan Quinlan converted.

ROCKWELL: D. Lyons; J. Corcoran, M. O’Driscoll, R. O’Connor, C. McEvoy; C. Quinlan capt, C. Rutherford; B. Walsh, S. O’Dwyer, K. Buckley, J. Nararette, D. Boland, E. Grace, P. Hayes, D. Corcoran.

Replacements: T. O’Sullivan for Buckley 44 mins; J. O’Dwyer for Navarette 55; R. Keogh and D. Foley for Rutherford and Walsh, both 60.

ST CLEMENT’S: G. Ryan; J. Mann, G. Clancy, D. Clancy, J. O’Dwyer; M. Griffin, D. Barry capt; D. Buston, R. Browne, L. Lawlor, L. Ryan, K. Hanley, S. Ryan, B. Davis, J. Murphy.

Referee: G. Slattery.