Niall McNamara try inspires St Munchin’s

St Munchin’s 20, Glenstal 3: A try by prop Niall McNamara in the opening minutes provided the springboard for St Munchin’s to produce a promising performance in beating Glenstal by four unconverted tries to a penalty goal in the Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Junior Cup on the 4G pitch at UL yesterday.

Glenstal had the very strong and cold wind at their backs in the first-half and reduced their arrears with a penalty by Ruairi Woodcock but when Munchin’s stretched their lead with a second try by winger Josh Campbell before half time, the outcome was inevitable.

They used the wind to good effect to keep a gallant Glenstal side pinned in their own half for much of the second period and further tries by centre Keith McInerney and flanker Ewan O’Brien saw them into the quarter-finals where they will meet PBC.

St Munchin’s:

D Callinan; J Campbell, K McInerney, D Long, J Butler; C Carew, J Ryan; N Walsh, S Airey, N McNamara, C Duggan, L Neilan, E Higgins, E O’Brien, C Nesbitt capt.

Replacements:

J Clohessy, S Mason, C Finn, G Kirwan, S Nestor, D Slattery, C O’Brien-Comerford, K Kucz, M Lawler, N Shaughnessy.

Glenstal:

R Woodcock; D Hanley, C O’Farrell, W Twomey capt, A Booth; T Gleeson, M Esmonde; D Hyland, M Cannon, M Downing, K Floyd, A White, C Frawley, T Rooney, N Queally. Replacements – S Carey, D Hayes, S Kerrisk, U Cooke, P Fahy, H Swan, A Keane, J Collins, T Murphy, M Bulaeir.

The draw for the Munster Schools Junior Cup quarter-finals is:

CBC v Ardscoil Ris; Rockwell v Crescent; PBC v St Munchins; Castletroy v St Clements. Games to be played on the week beginning February 6.