Five-try Glenstal Abbey advance in Munster Schools Boys Senior Cup after victory over Kinsale

GLENSTAL Abbey wrestled past the challenge of Kinsale Community College 34-10 to book their place in the Pinergy Munster Senior Schools Cup quarter-final eliminator this Thursday afternoon.

Outscoring their opponents by five tries to two, the Murroe school were always in some level of control against a side making history – with a first ever appearance at the grade.

Played at Dooradoyle, home of Garryowen FC, this contest was played in winter sunshine on a dry afternoon, ideal for rugby.

The victory ensures a last eight clash with CBC, Cork at Virgin Media Park on Thursday, January 29. This Glenstal victory was largely thanks to their superb backline who threatened to score almost every time they had ball in hand.

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Despite receiving three yellow-cards from referee Fergal Brislane during the contest, Glenstal looked the stronger and more dominant force for much of the contest. The foundation was first half tries from David Goode and Flynn Cooke, while Oisin Rowan landed a brace of conversions.

Kinsale, had fleeting moments but the organised Glenstal held them pout for nearly fifty minutes. By the time John Quinn bagged a first try for Kinsale at the three-quarter mark, the gap was insurmountable.

Prior to Quinns effort, there was two tries which all-but ensured the result. Lively winger Sean Roche ran in the first just 45 seconds after the restart before Oisin Rowan was on hand to finish off another – moving the scoreboard to 26-0.

The mini-revival started when Glenstal were temporarily down to fourteen – with Quinn running in a try. It was soon followed by Cillian Fitzpatrick but there was little panic in the Glenstal ranks, the missed conversions meant it was 26-10, with plenty of work still needed to overturn that Glenstal buffer.

From the next restart, Glenstal won and converted a penalty thanks to Rowan, before Roche rounded out the victory with his second.

With the penalty count triple of their opponents, 2018 winners Glenstal will know exactly where they need to improve on before that trip to Leeside, but for now, they’ve booked another day out, something this competition is all about.

GLENSTAL ABBEY: Oisin Rowan; David Goode, John Kerr, Scott Connolly; Sean Roche; Patrick Peters, Hugo McGowan; Caden Smith, Harry Heagney, Hugh Haegney; Rory O’Neill, Flynn Cooke, Daniel McCarthy, Logan O’Connor; Aengus O’Loughlin. Replacements: Hugh McGuirk; Piaras Concannon, Cooper Jackson, Ethan Biggins, John Kennedy, Robert Wright, Conal Rowan, Tadhg Buckley, Jack Frawley, Hugh Dillon.

KINSALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE: Riain Walsh; Darragh O’Callaghan, Cillian Fitzpatrick, Brion Mullen; John Quinn; Josh Lehane, Ben O’Callaghan; Roman Mohammed, Ivor O’Riordan, Eoin John Harrington, Ethan Griffin, Ryan Cusack, Gearoid Whelton, Conor Looney, Harry O’Leary. Replacements: Evan McAlonan, Patrick O’Regan, Eeoin Dillon, Darragh Merwick, Darragh Tracey, Jacob Hayes, Craig Kelly, Jamie Edwards, Lucas Mark Harrington, Daniel Coughlan.

REFEREE: Fergal Brislane (IRFU)