Munchin’s power on in Munster Schools Senior Cup
Mathew McSweeney, left, St. Munchin's College, celebrating after scoring the first try for his team in the opening round of the Munster Schools Senior Cup in Dooradoyle on Wednesday
ST Munchin’s provided clear evidence of their Avonmore Milk Munster Senior Schools Cup winning potential when easing past the challenge of local rivals Castletroy College in an entertaining quarter-final, round one, tie played at Dooradoyle.
Powered by a hugely impressive and physically dominant pack, St Munchin’s monopolised possession and territory for the majority of the game. And crucially, the winners succeeded in translating their superiority in general play into points.
St Munchin’s crossed for four tries in all – two in each half – with three of their touchdowns scored by their backline and one from their impressive forward unit.
St Munchin’s prize for getting past 2008 winners Castletroy is a knock-out quarter-final tie with the losers of the clash between Ardscoil Ris and CBC.
Castletroy College could not be faulted for industry or endeavour, but they lacked the physicality and know-how of their opponents on the day.
The Newtown side is sure to learn a great deal from their first competitive outing of the season and could yet prove a force in the Cup. Under the ‘second-chance system’ introduced in recent seasons, losers of quarter-final round one games, get another opportunity to reach the semi-finals.
However, losing out to St Munchin’s means Castletroy College will now face a last eight meeting with the winners of the tie between Glenstal Abbey and Cup holders Rockwell College.
On a near perfect day for rugby, Castletroy College made the more impressive start and out-half Sean Moran slotted a sixth minute penalty goal to send his side into an early 3-0 lead.
However, as the game began to settle down, St Munchin’s superiority began to manifest itself.
Their opening try was a case of fortune favouring the brave. St Munchin’s turned down the opportunity for a kick at goal from a series of penalties awarded inside their opponents’ 22 in the hope of gaining a greater reward.
From one such kick to touch, St Munchin’s gathered clean possession from the line-out and their well-drilled pack drove over the Castletroy line, with the score awarded to flanker Matthew McSweeney.
St Munchin’s grabbed a second try in the 24th minute when the forwards again created the opening for impressive captain Lee Nicholas to provide the scoring pass to full-back James Clancy in the right corner.
Although the conversion attempt was missed, St Munchin’s held a useful 10-3 half-time interval.
Tighthead prop Evan Ryan excelled in a pack which also included his triplet brothers Gavin and Darren, which half-backs Shane Airey and Ben Nugent controlled the game superbly for the winners.
It did, however, take St Munchin’s until the 50th minute to pull two scores clear when, following a scrum inside their opponents ’22, St Munchin’s succeeded in creating the space out wide for winger Edward O’Keeffe to score.
The winners’ fourth try arrived on the hour mark when impressive centre Dan Goggin tore the heart of the Castletroy defence before running fully 35 metres to the try-line.
Ben Nugent duly added the conversion points.
astletroy continued to battle to the end with the likes of exciting full-back Jonathan McDonnell, scrum-half Luke Clohessy, front-row forward turned flanker Ben Burns, and team captain and number eight Conor Bonfil to the fore.
However, they lacked the power, guile and craft necessary to get themselves back into the contest.
SCORERS – St Munchin’s 22 (Matthew Sweeney, James Clancy, Edward O’Keeffe, Dan Goggin try each, Ben Nugent con). Castletroy College 3 (Sean Moran pen)
ST MUNCHIN’S COLLEGE – James Clancy; Edward O’Keeffe, Dan Goggin, Tom O’Neill, Diarmuid Morrissey; Shane Airey, Ben Nugent; Eoghan Kelly, Luke O’Halloran, Evan Ryan; Gavin Ryan, Ezra Nugent; Matthew McSweeney, Darren Ryan, Lee Nicholas (Capt). Replacements: Cormac O’Donnell for Morrissey (48 mins), David Begley for Kelly (58 mins), Daniel Montgomery for O’Halloran, Shane O’Mullan for Nugent (both 66 mins), Ryan Tsang for O’Neill, Ger Powell for McSweeney (both 67 mins).
CASTLETROY COLLEGE – Jonathan McDonnell; David Grant, Eoghan Clancy, William Shanahan, Killian Carroll; Sean Moran, Luke Clohessy; Jack Tiernan, Liam Cronin, Stephen Shinners; David Butler, Pat Bermingham; Jack O’Neill, Ben Burns, Conor Bonfil (Capt).Replacements: Darragh Kennedy for Burns, Mark McCarthy for Carroll (both 61 mins), Mark Kennedy for Shinners (66 mins), Robbie Sweeney for Cronin, Jack Murphy for Grant (both 70 mins).
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