Rockwell withstand brave PBC fightback

Munster Senior Cup: Rockwell 16 PBC Cork 14

At the end of a game that stretched to 80 minutes, including the lengthy injury-time, favourites Rockwell College edged to the quarter-finals at the Mardyke yesterday.

Plenty of the neutrals and some of the Rockwell camp wouldn’t have argued had Pres managed to secure a surprise win after watching them fight back from what appeared to be an impossible situation at half-time when they trailed 13-0.

Rockwell coach Mark Butler wasn’t surprised Pres threw down the gauntlet. “Obviously we were the better side in the first-half but we lost our way a bit after the break. We weren’t surprised in a way because when you play Pres, you always expect a big battle, no matter what the odds. They threw everything at us in the second spell and we made some errors, which didn’t help. In the end it all came down to the penalty we got from Bill (Johnston) in that second-half. His kicking was spot on throughout but that one was crucial.”

Pres coach Peter Scott bemoaned the fact his side had so many injuries all season and ultimately put the defeat down to not being battle-hardened.

“We were certainly off the pace in the first-half and it took us a long time to get going. We upped the pace in the second half and realised that there is no massive gap between the teams.

“On a cup day we would fancy giving anyone a game, we’re disappointed at turning 13-0 down and we did make a lot of mistakes. Rockwell are a good side to be fair to them but 15 lads can beat anyone anytime and that’s what makes it a great competition, that’s why we all love it.”

Certainly, there was excitement in abundance at a chilly Mardyke with Rockwell setting out their stall from the early stages when they powered ahead with a third minute try from flanker Brian McLaughlin and a conversion from ace marksman Johnston, whose aim was equally good when presented with difficult penalty chances in the 21st and 34th minutes.

Pres did launch a concerted assault between the 10th and 15th minutes but ran up against a solid defence and they also came close following an injury-time counter attack that saw number eight Tadgh O’Sullivan stopped close to the line after Conor Duggan, Darragh Dennehy and Graham Smith had done the hard work.

Pres pulled back seven points with a Patrick Hogan try that came after a searing attack by centre Robin Reidy, and John Poland converted, but they lost any initiative when Johnston kicked a 59th minute penalty for a 16-7 lead.

The home side had to wait too long for their next score. Substitute out-half Peter Sylvester scored a smashing individual try in the third minute of injury time, Stringer converted, but Rockwell held firm.

ROCKWELL: T McHale, J Stone, L Molloy, C Cashman, K Moynihan, B. Johnston, D Egan, N Campion, B Murray, J Kenndrick, S O’Connor (captain), M Wilson, T Anglin, B McLoughlin, M Casey.

Replacements. S Lanigan-Ryan for Stone, D Barron for Murray (both 54), J Tierney for Kantrick (65), J Binchy for S O’Connor (72), J Pickering for Egan (74).

PBC: D Dennehy, C Duggan, S Daly, R Reidy, P Hogan, D O’Sullivan, J Poland (captain), J Ring, M Shinkwin, S Deane, C W O’Flynn, K O’Leary, E McCartnym, G Smith, J O’Sullivan.

Replacements: B O’Mahony for Smith (38 injured), J O’Callaghan for Shinkwin P Sylvester for D O’Sullivan (both 40), D Mc Donagh for Deane(62), P Fitzgerald for Reidy (73, injured)

Referee: S Kerins (IRFU).