Limerick sides battle for Schools Senior Cup final spot

LIMERICK rivals Ardscoil Ris and Glenstal Abbey go head-to-head at Thomond Park this Thursday, 2.30pm, to earn the right to face PBC in the 108th Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Senior Cup final.

Ardscoil scored a dramatic 9-7 victory over a fancied CBC side in the quarter-final, thanks to a last gasp penalty goal from Maurice Noonan at Musgrave Park.

Semi-final opponents Glenstal Abbey impressively dispatched  Rockwell College on a scoreline of 18-0 to win their quarter-final clash. 

It was Glenstal's second large victory of the tournament, having beaten qualifying tournament winners St Clement's 27-10 at the 4G at the University of Limerick in the first round, while Ardscoil suffered a heavy 40-5 defeat to PBC at the same stage.

Ardscoil last reached the final of the tournament in 2015, losing to Rockwell 23-13 at Thomond Park having beaten both Cork sides.

GLENSTAL ABBEY: Jack O’Mahony; Tim Molony, Jamie Mawhinney, Luke Fitzgerald, Ronan Quinn, Ben Healy, Thanade McCoole;  Sean Scanlon-Garry,  George Downing,  Eoin Bergin,  Conan O'Sullivan, Shane Downes,  Conor Booth,  Mark Fleming,  Rory Clarke (Captain). Replacements from: Padraic Mulligan, Patrick Prendergast, Henry Downing,  David Kelly,  Mark Walsh,  Andrew Walsh, Aran Egan, Declan Floyd,  Eoin Callaghan, Andrew Hogan.

ARDSCOIL RIS: Darragh O’Gorman; Cian O’Rahilly, Colin Madden, Glen Clancy, Michael Gorman, Evan Cusack, Craig Casey, Alex O'Callaghan, Colin Slater, Ferdia Lyons, Darragh O'Grady, Roy Whelan,  Luke Clohessy, Ian Brown, Odhran Ring. Replacements from: Rhys Tucker, Matthew Gaule, Conor O'Brien,  John Taylor, Sean Hanley,  Maurice Noonan, Hugh Fenton,  Cian Murphy,  Brian Noonan,  Lloyd Mulcahy.