Cookies face Shannon in attractive semi-final

ALTHOUGH a 40-17 defeat would suggest otherwise Old Crescent made life distinctly uncomfortable for UL Bohs during Tuesday night’s Charity Cup quarter-final in Rosbrien.
Right up until the final 20 minutes of the game Old Crescent looked capable of causing a shock - the game was deadlocked at ten points a piece at the break.
Although a Mark Woods penalty gave Old Crescent an early lead tries from Martin McPhail and David Moloney pushed Bohs 10-3 ahead.
Crescent responded with a try from Eamon Broderick and a Mark Woods conversion left the sides all square at the interval.
Old Crescent continued to mount a challenge early in the second half, but three penalties from the boot of UL Bohs’ Fergal Lawlor earned the AIL Division 1A side a 19-10 lead.
Critically Old Crescent’s Phil Glamazina was sin binned and the flood gates opened with UL Bohs’ Kevin Bracken and Finbarr Ryan (two) plundering tries which ended the game as a contest - Fergal Lawlor finished the night with three penalties and three conversions. Old Crescent out-half Mark Woods kicked a penalty and two conversions in all with Crescent’s Chris Delooze scooting in for a late consolation try.
Two tantalising semi-finals are fixed for this Saturday, September 5.
Following their 23-point win on Tuesday night UL Bohemian face Garryowen in Dooradoyle at 2.30pm while arch-rivals Young Munster and Shannon clash at Clifford Park (2.30pm).
On Friday night Garryowen fought off a determined Nenagh Ormond side (23-15) in Tipperary. Nenagh Ormond were determined to make a big impression on the Light Blues with tries from Nick Kennedy and Stephen Harvey plus a conversion from Trevor Connolly pushing the home side into a 12-8 interval lead. Garryowen however re-grouped at the break and tries from Lorcan Bourke and Alan Gahan (two) allied to a Willie Staunton drop goal and some solid kicking from Gerry Hurley helped the Light Blues to a decisive 23-15 win.
On Saturday afternoon in Corbally Young Munster saw off a gallant Bruff with eight points to spare (27-19). Tries from Aaron Carroll and Ian Cross helped the Cookies into a rather fortunate 14-13 half time lead, but once Young Munster introduced scrum-half Mike Prendergast to the side the Cookies were easily the better side in the second half with an Aaron Carroll try and a drop goal from Alan Kingsley settling the issue.
Meanwhile at LIT on Saturday a David Quinlan try, two penalties and a conversion from David O’Donovan gave Shannon a narrow 13-10 win over Thomond in their respective quarter-final.
A Jamie English drop goal gave Thomond an early lead while David Sheehan also scored a try for Thomond which Ger Finucane converted.
Also this Saturday the draw for the opening two rounds of the AIB Cup will take place in the club house of Ballynahinch RFC, the reigning AIB Cup Champions, at 12.45pm - 48 clubs will go into the hat with the teams in Division Two and Division Three drawn in the first round while the teams from Divisions 1A and Division 1B will be included for the second round.
While the final of Limerick Charity Cup is scheduled for September 26 there’s little respite for Limerick clubs in the coming weeks with the first round of the ODM Munster Senior Cup and the quarter-finals due to take place on Saturday, September 12 and Saturday, September 19.
First round draw: (A) UL Bohemian v Old Crescent, (B) Midleton v UCC, (C) Garryowen v Dolphin, (D) Clonakilty v Shannon, (E) Cashel v Nenagh Ormond, (F) Thomond v Highfield, (G) Sunday’s Well v Cork Constitution & (H) Bruff v Young Munster. Quarter-Finals: (I) H v E, (J) B v A, (K) C v D & (L) G v F. Semi-Finals (November 29): L v I & J v K. The final is scheduled to take place on January 2, 2010.
In an extraordinary development Limerick rivals Shannon and Garryowen could meet three times during the next four weeks. If Shannon and Garryowen beat Clonakilty and Dolphin respectively in the first round of the ODM Munster Senior Cup on September 12 they will face one another in the quarter-finals on September 19. The clubs could also face one another in the Charity Cup final on September 26 and finally Shannon are scheduled to travel to Dooradoyle to face the Light Blues on the opening weekend of the AIB All-Ireland League (Saturday, October 3).

Brian McDonnell