Christians pass stern test from Glenstal
Glenstal Abbey threw down the gauntlet to their more experienced rivals from Cork with a hugely positive first-half display that helped secure a 10-7 half-time lead, and they were right in the match until the dying moments before Christians struck with a third try to secure a quarter-final place against arch-rivals PBC.
Christians coach Russell Foley admitted it was a tough afternoon for his charges, saying: “Glenstal were as hard as we thought they would be; the school, at both senior and junior, have been knocking on the door for the past couple of years, they were very physical and our guys learned a lesson that if you don’t start well, you make it hard on yourself to win.
“Glenstal were right in it until the last move of the game and I reckon a bit of composure was crucial in helping us through in the end.”
Ultimately, it was a deserved victory for the Cork side and the only real gripe from a Glenstal point of view might be the margin of it.
Certainly the two tries they scored after the break highlighted the potential of this side behind a very solid pack that yielded nothing in the set pieces against a rugged Glenstal eight for whom Tom Ryan worked tirelessly, alongside Richie O’Hara and James Lane.
Christians had their own share of bulk to help them through in the form of giant prop Rory Burke and number eight Patrick Leahy who was as conspicuous throughout for the winners as Ryan for Glenstal.
Glenstal hit the front with an excellent try from out half Kevin O’Keeffe, who got his reward seconds after failing to take advantage of a earlier gilt-edged scoring chance.
The out half effortlessly added the extra points from near the touch line.
Glenstal failed to take advantage and conceded a try to Leahy – converted by Ryan Foley – after 24 minutes.
But Glenstal’s first-half efforts deserved more and they got the reward when O’Keeffe kicked a penalty in injury time for that three-point advantage.
That was quickly eroded when Foley kicked an early second-half penalty and, after a bit of a struggle to overcome determined Glenstal, the scrum half finished off an excellent blind side move involving Sean Quill and Adam McCarthy with nine minutes on the clock.
Christians had to fight to retain that advantage as Glenstal launched a late assault but they counter-attacked smartly in injury time from inside their own half and winger Adam Finn outpaced the defence to score the third try at the posts, with Foley converting.
CBC: C Monaghan; A Finn, J Whooley, J Dowling, A McCarthy; S Quill, R Foley; J Corbett, C Slowey (capt), R Burke; D O’Brien, D Moloney; T Arigan, P Leahy, R O’Sullivan.
Replacement (temp): S Galvin for Slowey (10-17).
GLENSTAL: P Glavey; E Hurley, A Boland (capt), C Hughes, E Timmons; K O’Keeffe, C MacDonagh; J Lane, J Boland, D Dolan; C Buckley, R O’Hara; K Hastings, T Ryan, R Dooley.
Replacement: S Hanrahan for Hastings (inj, 44).
Referee: T O’Donoghue (MAR).
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