'It's a little bit unbelievable' - Kinsale see off Hammies to seal Senior and Junior Cup places

Qualifying for both cups for the first time in school history, Kinsale's prize is an away trip to face Glenstal Abbey in the new year

STRONG ARM: Adam Coughlan, Kinsale CS with posssession in the Munster Schools Senior Cup qualifier final: Hamilton High School Bandon v Kinsale CS, at Virgin Media Park, Musgrave Park, Cork. Pic: Larry Cummins

Munster Schools Senior Cup qualifier final: Kinsale CS 20 Hamilton High School, Bandon 12 

Kinsale Community School completed a remarkable double at Virgin Media Park by qualifying for both the Munster Schools Senior and Junior Cups for the first time.

Possessing a dominant attacking and defensive lineout, their senior side mined tries from Gearóid Whelton, Ryan Cusack, and Riain Walsh to dismiss Hamilton High School.

Those touchdowns all came during two sin-bin spells when Hammies were reduced to 14 players. By contrast, Kinsale were able to manage the clock when they were down to 14. Their prize is an away trip to face Glenstal Abbey in the new year.

Earlier, their junior team defeated Midleton CBS, 12-10, and will now travel to meet Crescent College Comprehensive in Limerick.

“It's a little bit unbelievable,” said head coach Eddie Farren. “We started rugby in 2018 in the school, and I could not imagine us playing in the Junior and Senior Cup then.

“It's the first time that we've entered into a B school competition and thus a Junior and Senior Cup qualifier.

“We've been on a really fantastic journey. I have to give a massive amount of credit to Kinsale Rugby Club because it's their underage system, it's their coaches, it's the commitment that the club have put in to lay the foundation for us to be successful in these two games.” 

An even opening stretch began to turn once Eddie O’Sullivan was sin-binned for taking out Walsh in the air.

Boosted by their numerical advantage, a series of punishing carries backed Hammies into their own 22. Initially, Brion Mullen was held out by a combination of Nick Bourke and Daniel Coughlan, but he forced a Kinsale lineout. Ivor O’Riordan’s pinpoint throw hit the tail, and their driving maul saw Whelton touch down. Josh Lehane’s conversion extended their lead to seven.

Adam Coughlan came close to a second after a pair of hand-offs, only for the returning O’Sullivan to drag him into touch.

Hammies twice worked their way into the Kinsale 22, but their set piece misfired as impressive captain Conor Looney stole his second lineout.

The Bandon school’s scrum fared better to establish their next attack. They gained the numerical advantage when Patrick O’Regan was sin-binned for a high tackle on Cillian O’Flynn. From the subsequent tap-and-go, Daniel Coughlan’s kick ran just too far for his winger to touch down.

Kinsale met the half-time whistle 7-0 ahead and successfully built phases on the restart until restored to 15 players Hammies weren’t deterred as they escaped their half through a couple of penalties, retained their lineout, and began to create line breaks. Tighthead prop Louis O’Sullivan was first to punch a hole, Daniel Coughlan’s flat pass released Donnacha O’Mahony, and then O’Sullivan broke through again and sprinted away to the line. Coughlan’s conversion was tugged just wide.

Kinsale still led by two and sought to reinforce their advantage. Looney’s lineout work set the platform before Whelton, Mullen, and Harry O’Leary were each stopped just short of the line.

However, when Daniel Coughlan batted the ball out of the scrum-half’s hands, he was sin-binned. Through a cloud of black flare smoke emitting from the stand, O’Riordan took the quick-tap penalty and fed Cusack to leap over the line. Lehane’s missed conversion left the gap at seven.

Hammies came close to a second try when Liam Ryan juggled a pass towards Bourke, but the backtracking Mullen got in between to intercept.

Kinsale had one more play with a 15v14 advantage, and they made it count. From a scrum inside the 22, Lehane delayed his pass to send Walsh over for their third try before missing the conversion.

When presented with a 65th-minute penalty, Lehane slotted the insurance score for a 20-5 lead.

Hammies kept fighting and earned a consolation score when Mark Kelleher burst across the line from the tap-and-go penalty, which Coughlan converted.

Scorers for Kinsale CS: Tries: G Whelton, R Cusack, R Walsh; Con: J Lehane; Pen: J Lehane. 

Scorers for Hamilton High School: Tries: L O’Sullivan, M Kelleher; Con: D Coughlan.

KINSALE CS: R Walsh; A Coughlan (J Hayes 58), B Mullen, C Fitzpatrick, D O’Callaghan; J Lehane, B O’Callaghan (E McAlonan 12-31); R Mohammed, I O’Riordan, P O’Regan; E Griffin (D Merwick 64), R Cusack; G Whelton, C Looney (capt), H O’Leary (E Dillon 67).

HAMILTON HIGH SCHOOL: L Ryan; D O’Mahony, C O’Flynn, E O’Sullivan, N Bourke; D Coughlan, O Coughlan; L O’Sullivan (capt), G O’Mahony, M Kelleher; N Przewozniak, P Coffey (M Lane 54); D Murphy (C Callaghan 38) (D Hickey 46), C Callaghan (S Heverin 36), A O’Regan.

Referee: E Henderson (MAR).