Tuesday, March 03, 2009

City rivals face off

CITY rivals St. Munchin’s College and Crescent College Comprehensive will be bidding to make it through to this season’s Avonmore Milk Munster Schools Junior Cup final when they clash at Annacotty tomorrow - this eagerly-awaited semi-final has a 4pm kick-off.
Both sides suffered opening round defeats to Cork opponents before taking full advantage of the ‘second chance’ system to advance to the last four stage.
Having lost narrowly, 10-12, to PBC in their first fixture, St. Munchin’s defeated holders Castletroy College 10-7 to advance to the semi-finals.
Crescent College suffered a three-point defeat to CBC, 8-11, in their first outing, before eventually getting the better of a plucky Glenstal Abbey side, 5-3, in a replayed quarter-final round two clash.
The winners of tomorrow’s game will face Cork opposition, either PBC or CBC, in next week’s decider at a Limerick venue which is likely to be Thomond Park. PBC and CBC played out a 12-12 draw in their semi-final clash last week.
Meanwhile St. Munchin’s College will hope to keep their double dream alive when they take on Tipperary nursery Rockwell College in their Centenary Avonmore Milk Munster Schools Senior Cup semi-final tie in Clanwilliam RFC on Thursday (3pm).
St. Munchin’s are bidding to win a fourth Avonmore Milk Munster Schools’ Senior Cup title this decade. Currently the bookies’ favourites to win the title, St. Munchin’s produced the finest display of the opening round to secure a terrific 14-5 win over CBC in Musgrave Park.
The Corbally side booked their place in the last four stage of the competition when overcoming city rivals Ardscoil Ris 32-8 in their quarter-final clash at Coonagh.
St. Munchin’s, 11/8 favourites with one betting firm to land the title, scored four excellent tries in their win over Ardscoil, with inspirational number eight and captain Ger Burke crossing for the first of them.
Dara Turner, Conor Cunnane and Jack Murray bagged a try each while imposing lock Mike Madden kicked two penalties and a conversion before Robert Guerin converted the last two tries.
St. Munchin’s boast several representative players, including Madden, Craig O’Hanlon, talented out-half Guerin, John Sherin, Sean Duggan, Cathal O’Neill and Declan Browne, while front row forward Aaron O’Brien has been a hugely influential figure in St. Munchin’s run to the semi-final.

Colm Kinsella

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