Bandon bow out of Munster Senior Cup after 10-try cracker with Crescent
Bandon Grammar School players show their disappointment after their narrow defeat to Crescent College Comprehensive. Picture: Dan Linehan
Bandon exited the Munster Schools Senior Cup after a cracking 10-try quarter-final against Crescent at Dooradoyle.
Bandon came from behind four times to lead 29-26 entering the closing stages but Alex McNamara burrowed over in the 65th minute to snatch a dramatic win.
The Limerick school led 19-12 at half-time but former Toulouse coach Régis Sonnes reinvigorated the Bandon maul by making five half-time replacements.
With the penalty count 12-3 in their favour at one stage, they produced three tries from that source, including two for hooker Zach Piper.
But Crescent saved enough gas for the finish as Darragh McKeogh recorded two tries to book their semi-final spot against CBC.
Crescent’s Niall Miskella was an early standout for Bandon as he put in three big hits in the opening stages and forced a turnover.
However, his opposite number Gerry Joyce opened the scoring in the left corner after the ball went through the hands of Fionn Rowsome and Ryan Scanlon. Alan Cleary’s tricky conversion attempt missed the target.
Bandon were level in the ninth minute. Conor Muller charged forward from a tap-and-go penalty before Cash Healy, who had claimed the line-out to set the platform dived over. Rory Golden’s miss left it all square at 5-5.
Piper pinched two overthrown line-outs and a Muller tap-tackle denied Ronan Ryan a major break inside the 22, but Crescent were ahead again in the 26th minute. Scanlon piled through the middle of a ruck and Joyce probed out wide before Charlie Fenton dotted down and Cleary converted for a 12-5 lead.
Bandon were level within two minutes. After Crescent coughed up a penalty, Healy secured the line-out, Piper dashed forward, and Calem Harte survived a tackle to reach the line. Golden tapped over for 12-12.
A 50-22 kick from Cleary pinned Bandon back and though Healy stole the original line-out, Crescent were able to build close-range pressure before McKeogh broke the defensive line to score. Cleary kicked them 19-12 ahead on the stroke of half-time.
The half-time raft of changes saw Bandon trade out a third of their team, including try-scorer Healy among half of their pack.
Their maul gave an early warning sign when rampaging into the Crescent 22 only to knock on.
They returned moments later with a second charge from the line-out and once the maul had stopped short, Muller broke through the scrambling defence to score. Golden’s conversion struck the post as Crescent remained two points ahead.
Replacement James Symington was proving an effective line-out operator and from that possession, Golden launched a dangerous crossfield kick which was well defended by Joyce claiming a mark under pressure.
Crescent gave away further penalties in the maul and line-out as Bandon reloaded again to score through Piper at the back of the advancing pack. With Golden departing due to a knock, scrum-half Stephen O’Donovan slotted the conversion for a 24-19 lead.
It lasted less than four minutes as Scanlon fielded the restart, Fenton took a tap-and-go penalty, and McKeogh burst over the line. Cleary edged them back ahead by adding the extra two.
Approaching the hour mark, Crescent conceded their 12th penalty which enabled Bandon to unleash their copy-and-paste attack. Symington claimed the line-out throw and Piper, at the back of the maul, marched over.
David Fuller’s conversion missed to the left to leave it 29-26 entering the final 10 minutes.
This time, Crescent got on the front foot through their maul and though McNamara’s first attempt was halted, a penalty gave them a second chance. McNamara who found the breakthrough and Cleary’s fourth conversion meant Bandon needed a try.
At the vital moment, however, they gave away a free-kick on their line-out inside the 22 and Crescent held on.
Tries: D McKeogh 2, G Joyce, C Fenton, A McNamara; Cons: A Cleary 4.
Tries: Z Piper 2, C Healy, C Harte, C Muller; Cons: R Golden, S O’Donovan.
F Rowsome; R Scanlon, E Cusack, H O’Halloran, G Joyce (R Mullins 70); A Cleary, A Clery; R Ryan, A McNamara, C Enright (N O’Riordan 66); T Shanahan, J Carmody (E Collins 66); D McKeogh (W Byrne 70), A Obasa (W Collins 49), C Fenton.
S Aherne (L Linehan 36); I Smith, M Kennedy, C Harte, N Miskella; R Golden (D Fuller 49), S O’Donovan (S Barry 64); S O’Callaghan (J Deasy 36), Z Piper (A Barry 60), J van der Velde (J van Niekerk 36); A Brennan, C Healy (J Symington 36); C Mueller (M Tubb 62), M O’Regan (R Collins 36), P Coughlan.
B Bennett (MAR).
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