Árdscoil Rís secure Munster Schools Junior Cup semi-final spot

ARDSCOIL Rís did just enough to secure their semi-final spot in the Munster Schools Junior Cup after a 19-14 victory over Castletroy College in Thomond Park this evening. 

They will play Christian Brothers College Cork in the semi-final of the competition. 

Ardscoil Rís hit first with winger Oisín Healy making a break down the sideline to set his team up well in attack. Ardscoil did well to maintain the ball and moved it quickly to the opposite side of the field to send full-back Najim Jagana over the line after four minutes. Daniel Curran was unable to land the conversion leaving them 5-0 ahead of Castletroy College.

Castletroy College had plenty opportunities to score in the opening minutes but failed to collect their line-outs leaving Ardscoil exit easily. 

Ardscoil's physicality showed with their second score as winger Oisín Healy darted through five defenders to get over the line for their second try and Curran adding the extra two points. 

Castletroy College punched back on the stroke of half-time after a poor exit from Ardscoil was kicked straight out on the full with Castletroy able to gather their line-out and power over the line through Ben O'Connell in the corner. Cormac Devitt hit a fantastic kick to leave the half-time score at 12-7 in favour of Ardscoil Rís. 

Neither side could find the try line in the second-half with Ardscoil Rís losing a player to the sin-bin.

Castletroy attempted to hit back on two occasions, but were out played by Ardscoil's impressive defence. Ardscoil Rís suffered another yellow card in this half but again Castletroy were not able to capitalise. 

Ardscoil Rís managed to get a penalty 10 meters from Castletroy's line with only five minutes to go and did extremely well to keep possession and send Dylan Quirke over the line. Daniel Curran added the extras to leave them 19-7 ahead. 

This did not stop Castletroy College though as they got two quick penalties almost immediately after Ardscoil's try, in the final minutes, choosing to tap and go quickly which resulted in Xabi Scanlan bundling over the line and Devitt adding the extra two points. 

Ardscoil Rís did just enough in the end to hold on to their 19-14 lead to leave them with the victory. 

CASTLETROY COLLEGE: Lee Hogan, Rory O'Dwyer, Ben Kiely, Cormac Devitt, Evan Boland, Danann Glynn, Enda Collins; Julian Siudzinkski, Kevin Griffin, Jay Walsh, Charlie Hogan, Karl Waldron, Xabi Scanlan, Ben O'Connell, Conor Ryan. 

REPLACEMENTS: Dylan Stokes for Kiely (16 minutes), Andrew Berkery for Siudzinkski (21 minutes), Bob He for Walsh (40 minutes)

ARDSCOIL RÍS: Najim Jagana, Oisín Healy, Dylan Quirke, Ryan McCormack, Daniel Curran, Jack Thorne, Louis O'Flanagan; David Geaney, Paul Oyedeji, Tom Maher, Cathal O'Doherty, Brian O'Loughlin, Marcus Glennon, Brendan Morrissey, Leo Carman. 

REPLACEMENTS: Paul Gleeson for Jagana (32 minutes), Alex Higgins for Geaney (40 minutes)

REFEREE: Ben Linale (IRFU)