St Munchins withstand Comp fightback in Junior Cup thriller

Munchins scored an early try and powered on from there.

Munster Junior Schools Cup: St. Munchin’s College 34 Crescent College Comprehensive 18.

Individual brilliance, as well as an overall more cohesive team display, helped catapult St. Munchin’s College into the quarter-final of the Munster Junior Schools Cup. Leading after just 90 seconds all the way to the end, Munchin’s withstood a Crescent College Comprehensive fightback to progress.

There was a brace of very different, but perhaps equally impressive tries from winger Joe Browne, just when their Limerick rivals had fought back from 14 down to trail by just two points.

Following a 15-13 success over Rockwell College a fortnight ago, the presumption was that Crescent College would have been quicker off the mark, however, they trailed from the opening play. Conceding a penalty for holding on, Oisin Madden knocked over his first of six kicks from the 22. Madden was 100% from the tee in testing conditions.

Not settling for that, St. Munchin’s got their first try, inside five minutes. Centre Jay Deedigan fed full-back Jack Croke on the left flank, he skipped away from a couple of tackles, held off another and dotted down. Madden’s extras opening a ten-point margin before Comp could even settle at Thomond Park.

Alan Cleary, like his opposite number Madden, had a strong day on the kicking tee. While he wasn’t 100%, he was superb in allowing for the swirling Limerick wind and got his side on the board with a penalty from range. He was unlucky when striking the right-hand upright with his second on the quarter-hour mark.

The next score went to the Corbally school, when Alex Mitchell crashed over after patient build up near the Comp tryline. Again, Madden showed his quality in adding the conversion.

The out-halves would trade penalties to close the opening half, leaving St. Munchin’s in control, 20-6, at midway. Comp had struggled for any continuity in attack, St. Munchin’s looked far more comfortable when building phases and making yards into opposition territory.

The ruck speed was impressive from the winners, so too was their tackling. However, much of this deserted them in the third quarter, allowing both Jack Dervan and Daniel Kirby in for tries. Kirby’s effort a particular highlight – slaloming over having ran from 25 meters out. These scores, as well as a conversion from Cleary, made it 20-18, but St. Munchin’s awoke from their slumber to seize control again.

First Joe Browne bulldozed his way over off the back of a scrum. If that showed one element of his game – power – his second, just minutes later, showed his speed and awareness. Intercepting a pass on the wing midway inside his own half, he raced clear of any defenders and went in under the posts.

A late sin binning for Mitchell came after a string of Munchin’s indiscretions but they mattered little, as Comp tried in vain, to come back from the dead. The Limerick city school remain in the hunt for an eight title – and a first since 2020.

Scorers for St. Munchin’s College: Tries: J Croke, A Mitchell, J Browne (2), Cons: O Madden (4), Pens: O Madden (2).

Scorers for Crescent College Comprehensive: Tries: J Dervan, D Kirby, Con: A Cleary, Pens: A Cleary (2).

ST. MUNCHINS COLLEGE: J Croke; B Morgan, R Angley, J Deedigan, J Browne; O Madde, L Madden; D Foley; M Landers (C), C Dillon; S O’Riordan, G Marshall, S Bisette, A Mitchell, B Meagher.

Replacements: S McGlynn; A Fennell, C Lynch, C Hannon, C McGrath, O Gilroy, D Mullane, F Morrisson, S Kiely, D Hogan, L O’Reilly, C O’Byrne.

CRESCENT COLLEGE COMP: D Kirby; R O’Callaghan, C Robertson, H O’Halloran, J Dervan; A Cleary, T Harris; C Wilkinson, A Wallace, C Lillis; J McMahon, J O’Donoghue, S O’Brien, D Kidney, W Byrne.

Replacements: C Guerin, R Nash, J Conway, C Lane, D Woods, S Maher, N McCarthy, C Meyes, D Lyons, J Curtin.

Referee: John Lillis (MAR).