Pres have no answer to brilliant Crescent display in schools cup final

PBC 5 

Crescent CC 26 

PBC’S dream of a 31st Munster Schools Senior Cup was shattered by a brilliant display from Crescent College Comprehensive at Thomond Park on Tuesday.

The Limerick side carried the burden of favourites lightly, inspired by hooker and captain Conall Henchy, who lifted the new Garrett Fitzgerald Cup to mark their 12th success.

Very little went right for Pres, who contributed to their downfall with mistakes, which led to the concession of soft tries at key moments.

They almost snatched a dramatic lead, however, within five minutes of the start, when out-half Harry Coughlan burst through from over half-way only to be hauled down by Crescent full-back Jed O’Dwyer within touching distance of the line.

They still had a chance only for the ball to spill in a tackle and how Pres regretted not capitalising as Crescent went on to dominate the rest of the period.

The Limerick side made the breakthrough via route one, Oscar Davey’s booming Garryowen causing problems for Pres as Ben O’Connor and Sean Condon contested the high bally only to collide, handing Crescent an attacking scrum in a favourable position.

And they duly benefited, showing keen awareness and good hands for the magnificent Henchy to send wing Brandon Nash in for the opening try after 17 minutes with Davey converting, 7-0.

And while the out-half missed with a long-range penalty, five minutes later, Crescent exploited a big gap in the Pres defence to snatch a second try in the next attack.

O’Dwyer showed his prowess with ball in hand to cut through and round O’Connor to touch down for Davey to convert and make it 14-0, leaving Pres with a mountain to climb on the resumption.

And that got even steeper after they were unable to complete a line-out close to their own line after 41 minutes which yielded a try for Davey, courtesy of Henchy’s offload, for 19-0.

Credit Pres, though, for not dropping their heads and they hit back with a try from hooker Danny Sheahan in the 47th minute, but, fittingly, the final word went to the new champions as flanker Max Clein charged down a kick to score, Davey converting.

Scorer for PBC: Try: D Sheahan.

Scorers for Crescent CC: Tries: B Nash, J O’Dwyer, M Clein, O Davey.

Cons: O Davey (3).

TEAMS: PBC: B O’Connor; A Twomey, S Sexton, R O’Shaughnessy, S Condon; H Coughlan, M Murphy; F Cowhig, D Sheahan, P Salvador; L Herdman, A Keane; F Rousel, J Sheahan, captain, I Dennehy.

Subs: J Lynch for Roussel, D Healy for Herdman and G O’Leary-Nasseem for O’Shaughnessy 42, T McCarthy for Cowhig and Z Dinan for Twomey 60, A Cooke for Condon 63, D Noonan for Keane 64, C Twomey for Salvador 67, P Doyle for D Sheahan 68.

CRESCENT CC: J O’Dwyer; B Nash, C O’Halloran, W Hoffman, J McEnery; O Davey, J Duggan; L O’Grady, C Henchy, captain, M Fitzgerald; J Somers, C Kelly; M Clein, R Quinn, P Obasa.

Subs: C Cleary, A O’Connor, J Madden, D Murphy, A Ahearne, F Casserly, M Lyons, E O’Callaghan, H Ezobo, E Bennett.

Referee: F Murphy (IRFU).