Heartbreak for Crescent College as Bandon edge nail-biting Munster Schools Junior Cup clash

CRESCENT College Comprehensive fell to an agonising defeat on Wednesday afternoon when losing out to defending champions Bandon Grammar School 15-14 in their Munster Schools Junior Cup quarter-final at Virgin Media Park, Cork.

The Limerick side fought until the final second and even had a late, late - but tricky - penalty to win it. However, the effort went heartbreakingly wide and the holders survived - just.

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Pushing for the line with the clock in the red, Crescent were inches away from a semi-final place, but ultimately lost out by the narrowest of margins.

Unlike the 11-try classic that preceded it in the Senior Cup semi-final at the same venue, this Junior Cup quarter-final was a slow burner. In the opening quarter, the ball spent most of the time in between the respective '22s, neither side able to gain a significant territorial advantage.

The Limerick school's supporters, however, brought great voice and colour to this occasion, their Bandon counterparts no doubt somewhat deflated after their Senior side’s dramatic 43-34 defeat to St Munchin’s earlier in the afternoon.

However, Crescent  College were not able to take advantage of the vocal backing as scoring opportunities were at a premium in the first quarter, a missed long-range Dylan Fitzgerald penalty the first real half-chance of the contest.

However, a mistake at the lineout enabled the Limerick side to eventually get on the board. Bandon didn’t deal with the setplay and Alex Tobin capitalised to break the line before passing to Charlie Woods who opened the scoring for the Doordoyle students.

A closer shot for Fitzgerald from the conversion meant that Crescent led 7-0 midway through the first half.

Just like their senior team in the first part of Wednesday's Virgin Media Park double-header, conceding points kicked the Bandon juniors into life. 

Despite some great last-ditch defending Crescent couldn’t keep the Juniot Cup holders out and scrum-half Joseph O’Sullivan eventually got over the line. Fionn Coppinger nailed a tricky conversion to level the game at 7-7.

With the momentum against them, the Limerick side were second best for the rest of the half. They looked like holding on until the interval before Jos Keating made a lung-bursting run through the defence to score in the corner with the last action of the first period.

Crescent started the second half with great energy, but errors started to creep into their game. A few attacks were halted by knock-ons and infringements at the ruck as they struggled to turn possession into points.

A Coppinger penalty midway through the second half stretched the Bandon lead to eight, 15-7, but the Limerick side refused to lie down.

This resilience was shown when Crescent launched an attack immediately after conceding. On this occasion they made no mistake and Oran O'Sullivan crossed over from close range, Fitzgerald adding the extras to reduce the deficit to 15-14 with 10 minutes to play.

Bandon initially held out well before conceding the last-gasp penalty, but Crescent were unable to secure the victory from the jaws of defeat.

SCORERS: Bandon Grammar School: Tries - Joseph O’Sullivan, Jos Keating. Conversions - Fionn Coppinger. Penalty - Fionn Coppinger. Crescent College Comprehensive: Tries - Charlie Woods, Oran O'Sullivan. Conversions - Dylan Fitzgerald (2).

BANDON GRAMMAR SCHOOL: Andrew Grainger, Maximus Bramoulle, Jos Keating, Fionn Coppinger, Oscar Kinahan, Paddy O’Brien, Joseph O’Sullivan, Paul Kingston, Joseph Canniffe, Simon Guest, Dylan Brosnan, Conor Fullam, Liam Dooley, Rowan Piper, Bobby Hayes. Replacements: Donnacha Straight, Joseph O'Connell, Richard Dorman.

CRESCENT COLLEGE COMPREHENSIVE: Charlie Woods, Seán McMahon, Alex Tobin, Gearoid Hickey, Mark O’Riordan, Dylan Fitzgerald, Freddie Bromell, Daniel Donohoe, Cillian Cullinane, Oran O’Sullivan, Jack Kelly, Jack Coughlan, Peter Ezomo, Killian Casey, Cuan Kilroy. Replacements: Thomas Costelloe, Noah Desamais, Jack McNamara, Mike Kennedy

REFEREE: Alex Ahearne (MAR).