There were eight, but now there are only four sides left in the Munster Schools Senior Cup after the completion of all four quarter-finals this week.
Rockwell College, Crescent College, Christians and Munchin’s are the four sides left standing after victories over Castletroy College, Pres Cork, Glenstal Abbey and Ard Scoil Rís respectively and they will go on to contest the semi-finals early next month.
Rory Parata was the star of the show in Rockwell’s victory with 20 points in their 25-7 victory over Castletroy, scoring two tries, two penalties and two conversions, with Steve McMahon also crossing over for a touchdown in a game in which Liam Cronin’s try was a rare moment of joy for Castletroy in a one-sided encounter.
The meeting between Crescent College and Pres Cork at Musgrave Park was a far closer affair, with the Limerick college eventually emerging as six-point winners in a keenly-fought contest.
Backed by the breeze in the first half, Crescent kept Pres scoreless in the first half while racking up 11 points thanks to a try from James Frawley and two penalties from Gearoid Lyons and despite touchdowns from John Poland and Max Abbott in a spirited Pres comeback, a second half try from JJ O’Neill was enough to secure victory.
It was one-way traffic at Temple Hill as CBC Cork put up 41 points in a comprehensive 33-point victory over Glenstal Abbey, a result that will have the other sides left in the competition standing up and taking notice.
Christians scored five tries to Glenstal Abbey’s one on the day, with Gerry Ryan, Liam O’Connor, Shane McAuliffe figuring prominently for the victors, while Kevin O’Keefe claimed the solitary try for the losers.
Finally, in Annacotty on Thursday, Munchin’s became the last team to make the last four with a seven point victory over Limerick rivals Ard Scoil Rís.
Peter Meyer, Dan Goggin and Lee Nichols all crossed for tries to help Munchin’s to a 19-12 victory in what was, by all accounts, a cracking contest.
Munster Schools Senior Cup Quarter-Finals:
Rockwell College 25-7 Castletroy College
Crescent College 18-12 Pres Cork
Christians 41-8 Glenstal Abbey
St. Munchin’s 19-12 Ard Scoil Rís
Semi-Final Draw (Ties to be played 5/6 March)
Crescent College v CBC Cork
Rockwell College v St. Munchin’s
