Holders Crescent College see off Árdscoil Rís as Munster Schools Senior Cup semi-final details confirmed

HOLDERS Crescent College Comprehensive booked their place in the semi-finals of this season's Pinergy Munster Schools Senior Cup after securing a hard-earned 23-18 quarter-final victory over local rivals Árdscoil Rís at Thomond Park on Wednesday afternoon.

Crescent College's reward for this success is a Munster Schools Senior Cup semi-final showdown with CBC, of Cork, on Tuesday, February 21 at Musgrave Park at 1.45pm.

The second Munster Schools Senior Cup semi-final will see St Munchin's College also travel to Cork, this time to face PBC, at Musgrave Park a day later on Wednesday, February 22 at 1.30pm.

In front of a colourful, enthusiastic attendance, Crescent College took an early lead in Wednesday's quarter-final through a try from prop Mark Fitzgerald in the third minute following a clever reverse pass from scrum-half Marcus Lyons.

Winger Eoin O’Callaghan also converted the try to help the Dooradoyle students into a useful 7-0 advantage.

Back came Ardscoil to their credit and responded with a try from prop Joe Costelloe who crossed in the corner following a well-worked line-out move involving hooker Aaron McNamara.

The North Circular Road school then took the lead thanks to a try from influential winger Alan Fitzgerald which was converted by Byrnes.

Left winger Fitzgerald had been unfortunate not to score a five-pointer a short time earlier in the game, following Evin Crowe's well-placed crossfield kick.

Ardscoil Ris' 12-7 advantage was reduced when the reliable O’Callaghan knocked over a penalty to leave them 12-10 to the good at half-time in an entertaining derby.

A further O’Callaghan penalty soon after the resumption of the second half put Crescent College 13-12 in front.

The holders then went further ahead with a try from centre Joe McEnery, when he scampered through a gap in the opposition defence to score. O’Callaghan duly added the extras to leave two scores between the Limerick rivals at 20-12 after 43 minutes.

If Crescent College felt they had taken the sting out of their opponents' challenge, they were mistaken, however.

Back-to-back penalty goals from the boot of out-half Aaron Byrnes in the 49th and 55th minutes for Ardscoil left just two points between the sides, 20-18, entering the final minutes.

However, Crescent managed to halt their opponents momentum and a 67th minute penalty from winger O'Callaghan sealed their passage into the semi-finals and a date with with CBC in two weeks’ time.

ARDSCOIL RIS: Harry Cowton, Joshua Dillon, Sam Brown, Alan Roche, Alan Fitzgerald, Aaron Byrnes, Evin Crowe; Joe Costelloe, Aaron McNamara, Emmet Calvey, Matthew Danaher, Samuel Connolly, Scott Gleeson, Alex Kennedy, Luke Murphy. Replacements: Darragh Glennon, Jibril Koura, Killian McNamara, Adam Shawyer, Kieran Shvaibovich, Colin McCarthy, Marcus O’Donoghue, Adam Jordan, Oisin Quinlivan, Conor Dowling.

CRESCENT COLLEGE COMPREHENSIVE: Jed O’Dwyer, Eoin O’Callaghan, Joe McEnery, Ben Gallagher, Sean Morrissey, Ryan Godfrey, Marcus Lyons, Mark Fitzgerald, Conor Clery, Denis O’Dwyer, Jack Somers, Sean Magee, Fionn Casserly, Andrew Ahearne, Cillian Kelly. Replacements: Jonathan Byrne, Alex McNamara, Cathal Lanigan Ryan, Conor Ryan, Jordan Power, Charlie Fenton, Cormac Quinn, Michael O’Mara, Evan Bennett, Mark Molloy.

Pinergy Munster Schools Boys Senior Cup Semi-Final Details:

Tuesday, February 21

CBC v Crescent College Comprehensive, Musgrave Park, 1.45pm

Wednesday, February 22

PBC v St Munchin’s College, Musgrave Park, 1.30pm