Rockwell College overwhelm Bantry to reach Munster Schools Senior Cup quarters

Impressive displays from Jack Ryan and Kian O'Reilly set up meeting with Pres in last eight.

HEAD FIRST: Kian O'Reilly scores a second-half try in the corner for Rockwell College in the Pinergy Munster Schools Senior Cup Rugby. Rockwell College vs Colaiste Pobail Bheanntrai ( Bantry Community School) at Musgrave Park on Thursday 26th January 2023. Pic Larry Cummins Echo/Examiner

Rockwell College 38 Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí 0.

Rockwell College produced a six-try whitewash to knock Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí out of the Munster Schools Senior Cup and set up a quarter-final against Presentation Brothers Cork.

There were two tries for Ireland U18 Schools squad member Jack Ryan, while out-half Kian O’Reilly added a try to his four conversions. They had the more polished set piece, with Zac O’Loughlin and Conor Bowen profiting for line-out tries, while loosehead prop Ben Everard got the other touchdown to cap a dynamic performance.

Rockwell showed their power from the off, led by the carrying prowess of Everard. He was involved in their opening try in the sixth minute, finished off by captain Ryan. O’Reilly missed the conversion.

Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí had their best try-scoring chance of the game in the 12th minute, a crossfield kick from Ireland U18 Dylan Hicks gathered by Oran Wiseman but Seán Leahy’s tackle forced the offload astray.

Hicks showed his defensive instincts to force Leahy into touch at the other end but he was sent to the sin bin in the 20th minute after Bantry conceded a second penalty in front of the posts. It took just a handful of phases from that tap and go for Everard to muscle his way over. O’Reilly kicked them 12-0 ahead.

At a numerical disadvantage on the field and the scoreboard, Bantry produced their best defensive rugby to hold Rockwell scoreless to half-time. Michael O’Donovan and Wiseman produced huge tackles to shove the Tipperary school back while Rockwell centre Clement McAuliffe knocked on before grounding in the 22nd minute.

Hicks’ boot got Bantry into promising positions but they couldn’t take advantage. When Rockwell hooker Ronan O’Connor was sin-binned on the stroke of half-time, the out-half pulled the tricky penalty just left of the posts.

O’Reilly almost had Rockwell’s third try after Bantry failed to clear and O’Loughlin picked the loose ball but Joey O’Sullivan led the charge of defenders to push the diving no.10 into the touch before dotting down.

O’Reilly won the footrace to the corner next time around, finishing off a 44th-minute move that went through the hands of Alex Harold Barry and Ryan before nailing the sideline conversion.

They had their fourth try after 52 minutes, O’Reilly putting a close-range penalty into touch and from the line-out, substitute scrum-half Ruairí Kelly fed O’Loughlin who barged over. Another successful O’Reilly kick left it 26-0.

Rockwell were going through the gears now to impress head coach Kevin Leamy, brother of Munster defence coach Denis, and had further tries either side of the hour mark.

O’Connor made the initial break down the touchline for the first of the pair, Everard and Tom O’Dea sucked in defenders, and Ryan took full advantage of the space out wide. O’Reilly missed the conversion.

Then, O’Dea won a penalty close to the tryline and the flanker himself kicked to touch. The Rockwell maul couldn’t be stopped, Bowen at the base to touch down. O’Reilly made the touchline kick for a 38-0 lead.

Rockwell replacement Michael Hayes was sin-binned late on but their job was already done.

Scorers for Rockwell College:

Tries: J Ryan (2), B Everard, K O’Reilly, Z O’Loughlin, C Bowen.

Cons: K O’Reilly 4.

ROCKWELL COLLEGE: M Carey; M Lambe, Z O’Loughlin, C McAuliffe, S Leahy; K O’Reilly, W Bermingham; B Everard, R O’Connor, C Carroll; C Bowen, R Kerry; T O’Dea, A Harold Barry, J Ryan (capt).

Replacements: R McKevitt, D Crotty Casey, A Wall, M Hayes, M Blake, R Kelly, C Neville, R Powell, M McCarthy, T Charles.

COLÁISTE POBAIL BHEANNTRAÍ: D Kingston; O Wiseman, J O’Sullivan, M O’Donovan, C O’Brien; D Hicks, S O’Donovan; P O’Sullivan, D McSweeney, JJ McNicholas; S O’Shea, C O’Sullivan; A Kelleher, S O’Donoghue, F Barry.

Replacements: B Clancy, D Coughlan, K Wiggan, C Cronin, A Nel, C Bignell, E Reynolds, P Cronin, C Kelleher, D Sheedy.

Referee: J Moynihan (MAR).