St Munchin's reach Munster Schools Junior Cup quarter-finals after victory over Crescent College

ST MUNCHIN'S College reached the quarter-finals of the Munster Schools Junior Cup after a confident 34-18 victory over local rivals Crescent College Comprehensive in Thomond Park on Wednesday evening.

Despite a strong comeback from Crescent after the half-time break, scoring two quick tries, Munchin's were able to maintain their lead throughout the entire game. 

St Munchins got off to a flying start getting a penalty within the first two minutes of the game slotted between the up-rights by out-half Oisin Madden. 

This dominance continued with a fantastic team score from one end of the pitch to the other, worked through the backs and finished off by Jack Croke, with Madden adding the extra two points. 

Crescent College Comprehensive got their first chance at points after 13 minutes of play through an Alan Cleary penalty putting them on the scoreboard for the first time after a number of missed opportunities during their line outs. 

Munchin's marched on and were rewarded with a patient score through Alex Mitchell pushed over in the corner by his pack and again Madden adding the conversion putting them 17-3 ahead. 

Crescent voted to keep kicking for posts when awarded penalties and were given their second score of the game after 24 minutes from the boot of Cleary.

Munchin's got the final play of the half and voted to kick for points through their number 10 Madden who made no mistake leaving them 20-6 ahead at the half-time break.   

It was Crescent that struck first after the break with a fabulous kick-through from Clearly to find a charging Jack Dervan who dotted the ball down for their first try of the game. From a tough angle out on the far sideline Clearly was unable to add the spoils. 

This spurred Crescent Comp to score another try almost immediately off their line-out and a quick line break from Daniel Kirby to beat the Munchin's defenders with Cleary adding the extra points to put them only two points behind.   

Under pressure Munchins did well to strike back three minutes later with a well executed scrum move with Joe Browne coming off his wing and going straight between the posts with Madden securing the conversion.                    

Crescent looked set to score another try off their line-out in front of the west stand before Munchin's winger Browne struck again getting an interception from Crescents attack and going the whole pitch to dot down his second try of the game, with Madden adding the extra two to put them 34-18 ahead. 

After a number of infringements Alex Mitchell of Munchin's was sent to the bin for the remainder of the game. Despite this Crescent College were unable to get over the line leaving Munchin's the winners on a scoreline of 34-18.                                                                             

ST MUNCHIN'S: Jack Croke, Ben Morgan, Ryan Angley, Jay Deeigan, Joe Browne, Oisin Madden, Luke Madden; Dan Foley, Michael Landers, Conor Dillon, Sean O'Riordan, Gavin Marshall, Stephen Bisette, Alex Mitchell, Bobby Meagher. 

REPLACEMENTS: Cian Hannon (38 minutes), Callum McGrath (50 minutes), Darragh Mullane (52 minutes), Sean Kiely (52 minutes), Finn Morrison (58 minutes), Sam McGlynn (58 minutes), Alex Fennell (59 minutes).  

CRESCENT COLLEGE COMPREHENSIVE: Daniel Kirby, Rory O'Callaghan, Cian Robertson, Harry O'Halloran, Jack Dervan, Alan Cleary, Tristian Harris; Cian Wilkinson, Andrew Wallace, Christian Lillis, Jimmy McMahon, Jordan O'Donoghue, Sean O'Brien, David Kidney, William Byrne.

REPLACEMENTS: Jamie Conway (43 minutes), Rory Nash (43 minutes), Sean Maher (43 minutes), Charlie Guerin (52 minutes), Sean Maher (58 minutes), Nathan McCarthy (59 minutes). 

REFEREE: John Lillis