Round-up of Limerick sides in Pinergy Munster Schools Senior Cup action

THERE was just one Limerick win in the opening preliminary round fixtures in this season's Pinergy Munster Schools Senior Cup this Wednesday.

The Pinergy Munster Schools Senior Cup has returned for the first uninterrupted season since the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020.

Holders Crescent College Comprehensive suffered a 24-17 defeat to CBC, of Cork, at Lansdowne in an exciting Group B contest.

The Dooradoyle side, who claimed the Munster Schools Senior Cup for a 12th time last March, led the game 14-7 at half-time, having earlier raced into a substantial 14-0 lead.

Crescent's two first half tries were scored by full-back Jed O'Dwyer and winger Michael O'Mara. Out-half Oscar Davey converted both tries.

Home side CBC outscored their visitors 17-3 in the second half, with Oscar Davey adding a second half penalty, his third successful kick of the day.

In Group A, Árdscoil Ris were involved in a classic 'game of two halves' contest against Rockwell College in Co Tipperary, before eventually losing out 12-14.

Árdscoil looked well placed to record an opening day victory when leading 12-0 at the end of the opening half.

The Limerick side scored two tries in that opening period through centre Sam Brown and winger Alan Fitzgerald. Out-half Aaron Byrnes added one conversion to see Árdscoil into a 12-0 interval lead.

However, home side Rockwell College came storming back in the second period, scoring 14 unanswered points as the penalty count hampered Ardscoil Ris.

Rockwell held on to claim a two-point victory.

In the only all-Limerick fixture of the afternoon's preliminary round games, Glenstal Abbey scored an impressive 24-0 victory over local rivals Castletroy College at Murroe.

2018 Senior Cup winners Glenstal scored four tries in all, three in the opening half, after which the home side enjoyed a significant 17-0 advantage against opponents who have been hit by a number of injuries.

A fourth Glenstal try in the 58th minute sealed their comprehensive victory. The Glenstal Abbey tries were scored by Jonathan Cunningham-Ash who grabbed a brace, centre Ciarán Woodcock and second-row Ben Gabor.

The second series of games in the preliminary round of the Munster Schools Senior Cup takes place in two weeks' time when, in Group A, Ardscoil Ris host amalgamation side Munster CSP, while in Group B Crescent College host St Munchin's College, who will be having their first outing in the competition. Elsewhere in Group B, also on October 26, Glenstal Abbey travel to Cork to face CBC.

ÁRDSCOIL RÍS: Adam Jordan; Harry Cowton, Sam Brown, Joshua Dillon, Alan Fitzgerald; Aaron Byrnes, Evin Crowe; Joe Costelloe, Darragh Glennon, Emmet Calvey, Matthew Danaher, Samuel Connolly, Scott Gleeson, Alex Kennedy, Luke Murphy. Replacements: Killian McNamara, Aaron McNamara, Darragh Custy, Adam Shawyer, Kieran Shvaibovich, Marcus O'Donoghue, Alan Roche, Alex O'Shea, Colin McCarthy, Thomas Hourigan.

CRESCENT COLLEGE COMPREHENSIVE: Jed O'Dwyer; Michael O'Mara, Eoin O'Callaghan, Joe McEnery, Sean Morrissey; Oscar Davey, Marcus Lyons; Mark Fitzgerald, Conor Clery, Cathal Lanigan-Ryan, Sean Magee, Charlie Fenton, Fionn Casserly (Capt), Jonathan Byrne, Daniel Magee. Replacements: Alex McNamara, Aleks Reddan, Denis O'Dwyer, Robert Farrell, Dan LeGear, Evan Cusack, Paddy Nevin, Ben Gallagher, Sam Hogan, Evan Barrett. 

CASTLETROY COLLEGE: Liam Glynn; Cathal Quirke, David Carr, Darragh McMahon, John Regan Magnier; Rob McConkey, Oisin Williams; Usman Musa, Sam Lynch, Jamie Conway; Oisin Meehan, Harvey Hogan (C); Ben Fogarty, Hyatallah Mohommad Ali, Aaron Cregan. Replacements: Cian Kennedy, Alex Cummins, Max Hoare, Jack O'Gorman, Adam Dooley, Rowan Brady, Chulainn Williams, James Rennison, Alberto Henry Ramblado, Mark Murphy.

GLENSTAL ABBEY SCHOOL: Eoghan Tucker, Killian Brennan, Ciaran Woodcock, Michael Bennett, Riain Concannon; Darragh Lehane, Finn Connolly; Harry Gleeson, Paddy Frawley, Jonathan Cunningham-Ash; Edward Keena, Ben Gabor, Pierce O'Neill, Mark Kennedy, Garvan Woodcock. Replacements: Walid Muhtaseb, Sean McCormak, Leopold Himmelreich, Cillian O'Donovan, Seamus Hanly, Sam O'Farrell.