French flair sends Con back to Aviva
Cork Constitution are through to their fourth successive All-Ireland final next Sunday in the Aviva Stadium where they will face Clontarf after a deserved win over Trinity at Temple Hill yesterday afternoon.
Tries at crucial times for the home side had a big bearing on the result and once Con had a 20-point lead by the hour mark, the game was over as a contest.
Cork Con’s out-half Aidan Moynihan was man of the match, contributing 18 points of his side’s tally.
But Con’s defence in the final 20 minutes was superb, when they put bodies on the line to keep their line intact.
Constitution coach Paul Barr was delighted with his side’s performance.
“It was a test game of rugby out there with some real quality on that pitch. They had players who played for Leinster this season and we had players that played for Munster.
“I thought it was a fantastic collective effort and probably illustrated by the way we defended.
“I think the boys’ focus going into the game was just first class. Every element of our game, our set-pieces, our defence organisation, our offence, our confidence to attack them and keep them under pressure was really excellent today.
“It gives us another opportunity to go the Aviva next week.
“Sean French’s try on the stroke of half time was massive. He has the ability to create something out of very little and the ability to create space is a great ability he has.”
Con took the game to the visitors from the off with French being forced into touch just short of the line.
Trinity were prepared to run at every opportunity and the visitors went ahead after 17 minutes with a penalty from Micheál O’Kennedy, but that was to be their only score in the game as some terrific defending by Con kept them at bay.
Two penalties from Moynihan had put Con ahead and then on the stroke of half-time the game turned in the home side’s favour.
French collected a ball 40 metres out on the wing, chipped it over the defence, and had the confidence to win the race to touch down, with Moynihan converting for a 13-3 interval lead.
Three minutes into the second half Moynihan kicked his third penalty.
A great break by Trinity’s Colm Horgan looked like a certain try only for Liam O’Connell to pull off a try-saving tackle.
On the hour mark, following continuous pressure by the visitors who were camped on the Con line, a poor throw from a five-metre lineout saw the home side hack the ball upfield.
Rob Jermyn dribbled the ball on before Moynihan kicked it ahead and won the race to touch down under the posts for a try he converted.
The final quarter saw Trinity dominate territory but excellent defending by the home side kept them out.
L O’Connell; S French, S Daly, N Kenneally (capt), R Jermyn; A Moynihan, J Higgins; G Duffy, V O’Brien, D Murphy; B Hayes, E Mintern; J McSwiney, K Sheehan, L Cahill.
JP Casey, B Quinlan, J Murphy, A McHenry, R O’Neill, D Williams, J wren.
JM Sylvester; J Kelly, J Hickey, P Murphy, C Hogan; M O’Kennedy, R Osborne; G Coyne, D Sheehan, D Doyle; J Dunne, R Pim; J McKeown, M Kearney, N O’Riordan.
J Horan, B Vermeulen, A Nasar, A Greene, C Lowndes, J Fennelly, R Russell.
S Gaffikin (IRFU).
