Rockwell hang on to secure Munster Senior Cup progress over Glenstal

DOUBLE TROUBLE: Glenstal's Riain Concannon Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

Pinergy Munster Schools Senior Cup: Rockwell College 18 Glenstal Abbey 15.

FAVOURITES Rockwell College had to fight might and mane before eventually suppressing the challenge of Glenstal Abbey and advance to a knockout meeting with the losers of Cork's PBC or Crescent College Comprehensive.

Two magnificent tries from Glenstal's Riain Concannon weren’t quite enough on the day for the Limerick lads who pushed right to the final whistle for a come-from-behind win.

Mark Neville opened the scoring off the tee for Rockwell, though not before they had already been held up over the line. They would not be denied for long though and on 14 minutes the Tipp lads stitched together a fluid attack that culminated in captain Ronan O’Connor going over for the try on the second attempt from close range. Neville added the extras to put Rockwell 10-0 up.

Though the Rockwell lads certainly had the upper hand for the majority of the first period, Glenstal found their mojo towards the end of it.

Sean Roche kept Glenstal in the fight when he went over for a try after a huge lung-bursting effort from Finn Connolly who took two Rockwell players with him before managing the offload to Roche for the unconverted try. It was 10-5 at the break.

If Glenstal came out after the break fired up, it didn't take Rockwell long to wrest back the initiative, with winger Joe Higgins receiving the ball on the 22 and powering down the right flank to claim what would prove to be a decisive try. Neville failed to convert but Rockwell’s 15-5 lead gave them that necessary two-score advantage.

But just when it seemed they could control the tempo, Concannon blew a hole down the left side of the Rockwell defence after a slick passing move to chalk Glenstal's second try. 

Neville notched another penalty for Rockwell to give themselves some breathing room at 18-10, but it wasn't long before Concannon was at it again, this time fooling the Rockwell lads with a feigned pass and taking off into acres of space in to score another try for Glenstal. 18-15 now and a winner impossible to call. The momentum had swung Glenstal's way but try as they might they could not get enough territory in the final stages to claim the winner.

Scorers for Rockwell College: Tries: R O’Connor, J Higgins; Con: M Neville Pen: M Neville 2.

Scorers for Glenstal Abbey: Tries: R Concannon 2, S Roche.

ROCKWELL COLLEGE: M Neville, D Morris, M Carey, M Lambe, J Higgins, C Moloney Ryan, A Russell; J Finn, R O’Connor (c), A Wall, R Kerry, M Gutierrez, C O’Mahony, D Marshall, A Harold Barry.

Replacements: D O’Brien for M Carey (42), C Pollard for C O’Mahony (50).

GLENSTAL ABBEY: J Kerr, S Connolly, S Roche, M Bennett, R Concannon, B Tucker, F Connolly; H Gleeson (c), C Hughes, W Mutaseb, L Himmelreich, P O’Neill, S McCormack, C O’Donovan, M Kennedy.

Replacements: O Rowan for J Kerr (48), T Williams for S Connolly (52), B Gabor for C Hughes (57).

Referee: John Moynihan.