Kinsale battle hard but beaten in Senior Cup clash with Glenstal Abbey
David Goode, Glenstal Abbey, on the attack against John Quinn, Kinsale. Picture: Brendan Gleeson
Debutants Kinsale CS bowed out of the Munster Senior Schools Cup, suffering a 34-10 reverse to Glenstal Abbey, in Limerick on Thursday afternoon.
Despite the loss, the performance the occasion will only embolden the Kinsale outfit to search for more as their surge up the rugby ranks reached its latest milestone.
Trailing to a brace of first-half tries, things looked bleak when this quickly reached four early in the second half. However, there was a determined response as two final-quarter tries gave Kinsale supporters something to smile about on the two-hour journey home.
Glenstal, based out of Murroe near the Limerick-Tipperary border, were worthy winners. Tries from exciting winger David Goode and lock Flynn Cooke set them on their way before they added three more, in the second half.
Despite a lot of good work, Kinsale were left frustrated by their failure to register in the opening half. Having battled through to this stage prior to Christmas, this opening round knockout tie was the first at this level for the Cork school.
On a dry, but cold afternoon in Dooradoyle, Glenstal’s quality in their backline shone through during a well-spirited contest.
Kinsale defended decently, though were picked off for those two tries to trail 14-0 at the change of ends. Kinsale won their place in this round thanks to a memorable 20-12 victory over Hamilton High School, Bandon prior to Christmas.
They were left to regret some missed openings late in the first half when 2018 winners Glenstal quickly bagged tries three and four. They had dominated the final eight minutes of the half, but a number of knock-ons killed hopes of a mood-changing first try.
Oisin Rowan raced into the corner within 45 seconds, before Sean Roche dotted down another, and suddenly it was a 26-0 advantage.
However, both John Quinn and then Cillian Fitzpatrick both crossed over for Kinsale five-pointers.
First Quinn ran over in the right corner and was greeted with huge cheers from those who’d travelled from West Cork. By now, Glenstall were down to 14. Their discipline was poor, in fact they would play a large percentage of the second half with 14 men, with three yellow cards punished for their persistent infringements costing them on the scoreboard too.
A second try came on 50 minutes, as Cillian Fitzpatrick showed great feet to dance in for a try. But this was as good as it got – the winners regathered themselves and finished much the stronger.
A Rowan penalty and a second try from the pacy Roche ensured there was to be no miraculous fightback. Roche was denied a hat-trick at the death by a determined Kinsale defence.
Ben O’Callaghan, John Quinn and Harry O’Leary had bright moments for Kinsale, Glenstal will travel to Virgin Media Park in two weeks time, where CBC, Cork will provide the opposition. Despite this victory, their performance had gaps in it, which unfortunately, Kinsale couldn’t fully punish on their first foray into the top tier of schools rugby.
Tries: D Goode, F Cooke, O Rowan, S Roche (2); Cons; O Rowan (3); Pen; O Rowan.
Tries: J Quinn, C Fitzpatrick.
O Rowan; D Goode, J Kerr, S Connolly; S Roche; P Peters, H McGowan; C Smith, Harry Heagney, Hugh Haegney; R O’Neill, F Cooke, D McCarthy, L O’Connor; A O’Loughlin.
H McGurik; P Concannon, C Jackson, E Biggins, J Kennedy, R Wright, C Rowan, T Buckley, J Frawley, H Dillon.
R Walsh; D O’Callaghan, C Fitzpatrick, B Mullen; J Quinn; J Lehane, B O’Callaghan; R Mohammed, I O’Riordan, E J Harrington, E Griffin, R Cusack, G Whelton, C Looney, H O’Leary.
E McAlonan, P O’Regan, E Dillon, D Merwick, D Tracey, J Hayes, C Kelly, J Edwards, L M Harrington, D Coughlan.
F Brislane.
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