Munster Schools Junior Cup final: St Munchin's live to fight another day after pegging CBC back
St Munchin's Dara Giltinane celebrates scoring a try with Phelim Hennelly and Anluan White. Pic: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho
St Munchin’s charged back from 12 points down as Dara Giltinane’s try and Jack Goode’s conversion sent this Munster Schools Junior Cup final against CBC to a replay.
When these two schools were last slated to meet in a Junior Cup final, Covid intervened and the title was shared. Both were seeking to bridge that six-year gap for silverware.
Both will be left waiting until after the Easter break for another day out in Limerick.
Christians got off to a dream start to take a 12-point lead in as many minutes. Both came from launch plays carbon-copied off the training ground onto a blustery Virgin Media Park.
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From a midfield scrum, Tiernan Murphy conducted a loop move to get away down the right wing. His offload found the support run of Jack Singleton, who dashed over to score. Shea Lynch’s conversion came up short into the wind.
They had to weather some Munchin’s maul pressure before striking again. JJ McCall forced a turnover penalty and then won the resulting line-out just outside their own 22. Seán Riordan’s super one-handed offload while falling created the chance for Lynch to get around the edge.
Once he gave it to Rory Barry, the winger steamed down the left, raising his arm in celebration before touching down. Lynch’s conversion made it 12-0.
Munchin’s maul was their key weapon, one which Christians were keen to avoid and disrupt at every opportunity. One forward march came up just short. Singleton ripped possession to snuff out that attack.
From the next line-out, Phelim Hennelly claimed the throw and Munchin’s couldn’t be stopped with Caleb Crofton-O’Riordan breaking away to barge over. Goode’s conversion missed.
Miraculous Munchin’s defence kept them in touch at half-time. Barry handed off two defenders, but just as he crossed the line, the tenacious Rory Jones recovered to poke the ball loose. The deficit remained 12-5 at the break.
The third quarter was spent camped in midfield until Christians’ discipline broke with some backchat to cough up a penalty. Munchin’s moved wide with a storming Cian Angley charge, which was only stopped by the fifth tackler at the five-metre line. Giltinane appeared to have crossed the line only to be turned back by Lynch before the Limerick school knocked on.
A chaotic Munchin’s maul produced a key win in the 51st minute. Christians sought to avoid engaging.
Munchin’s were deemed to have drawn them in. Once the maul collapsed, Tommy Kiely was sin-binned.
Up against 14, Munchin’s looked to go again. Goode’s kick into touch was almost blocked. Another messy maul was stopped, until Christians infringed in the subsequent scramble. A third attempt saw Munchin’s almost held up, but for Paraic Landers’ quick thinking to pull the ball back from over the line.
They pounded away patiently until Giltinane angled in from the centre to bash over.
Goode converted and there was nothing to separate the sides across the final five minutes, plus six more of stoppage time.
Tries: J Singleton, R Barry; Con: S Lynch.
Tries: C Crofton-O’Riordan, D Giltinane; Con: J Goode.
Theo Murphy (J Singleton 60+4); J Singleton (H Hussey 58), S Riordan, E Dawson, R Barry; S Lynch, Tiernan Murphy; C Dockray-Arundel (D O’Connor 34), O O’Farrell, B Hogan (T Kiely 46) (H Hogan 58); JJ McCall (J Varley 60-60+1), J Varley (T Dineen 51); C Murphy (A Lawlor 16-h-t, 50), C McElwain, M McGrath.
O Madden; A O’Brien, D Giltinane, C Angley, R Jones; J Goode, L Kiely; H Awaga, C Crofton-O’Riordan (P Landers 46), E Stokes; P Hennelly, D Meaney (N O’Connor 37); A Cowhey, C Doran (T Eales 60+1), A White.
F Brislane (MAR).
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