Schools' Rugby/Crescent 9 Ard Scoil Rís 7:Presentation Brothers College and Crescent College Comprehensive are set to meet in one semi-final of this year's Munster Schools' Senior Cup, after coming through their quarter-final clashes yesterday.
PBC had a 13-0 win over a tough Rockwell College side in Musgrave Park, while Crescent College Comprehensive had a 9-7 win over Ard Scoil Rís in Thomond Park.
Crescent failed to score a try and were grateful centre Ian Cross landed three penalties from as many attempts, two of them in the first half when backed by the strong wind.
Ard Scoil Rís must be wondering why they lost.
They scored the only try, a superbly worked effort, which prop James Burton grounded, converted by Declan O'Rahilly, to edge 7-6 in front after 16 minutes of the second half. But O'Rahilly was replaced by the time his side got the chance of a winner three minutes from the end. Dave O'Leary's wind-assisted kick from 35 metres floated wide.
Ard Scoil Rís had two players sinbinned in the first half and Crescent were down to 14 for 10 minutes in the second period.
It was close and exciting all through but only a few try-scoring chances were created in the swirling wind and bitter cold.
CRESCENT COMPREHENSIVE:E O'Toole; F Aherne, I Cross, O O'Riordan, M Doyle; S Scanlon, D Upton (capt); K Finlayson, J Corrigan, S Hennigar; K Hanley, A McCloskey; P Kinevane, E Ryan, D Mulcair. Replacement: W Cuddy for Kinevane (54 mins)
ARD SCOIL RÍS:D O'Rahilly; S Lipper, P Gleeson, N McGrath, J Noonan; D O'Leary, M Rowley; D Kilcoyne, D Toomey, J Burton; G Leyden, J Flood; B Sheehan, J Keogh, J Deegan. Replacements: S O'Sullivan for O'Rahilly (55 mins), G Moore for Keogh (61 mins)
Referee:P Fitzgibbon (MAR).
PBC 13 Rockwell College 0
Ireland under-19 Scott Deasy notched all of PBC's points at rain-swept Musgrave Park yesterday. The outhalf produced a controlled display on a miserable day with darkening skies forcing a floodlit second half.
Rockwell can be proud of a determined display that saw them defend stoically for large portions of a disjointed match and hold a dominant Pres to one try.
The try arrived in the third minute when Rockwell fullback Shane Luby saw his clearance inside the 22 charged down by Pres winger Simon Zebo. The alert Deasy gathered the break and ran behind the posts before adding the extras.
Pres pressure was relentless throughout this half, and though Deasy missed two further penalty chances, he converted one more before the break to give his side a 10-0 half-time lead.
On an afternoon when primary possession in the lineout was vital, Rockwell's malfunctioned, but their throws too were consistently disrupted by the magnificent Mick Kenefick. With the Pres pack in command, it offered Deasy every opportunity to showcase his talent.
He came close for a second try on 65 minutes as did Niall Barry in the same play. Deasy landed a penalty on 70 minutes.
PBC:G Nugent; J McCarthy, A Rose, B Kelleher, S Zebo; S Deasy (capt), D O'Driscoll; P Kelleher, R Corkery, R Darmody; D Tuohy, M Kenekick; N Barry, B O'Hara, P O'Mahony. Replacements: J Coyne for Corkery (50 mins); T Cullinane for McCarthy (58 mins); D Lucey for Touhy (68 mins); L Dockry for P Kelleher (70 mins); C O'Flynn for Deasy (70 + 5 mins).
ROCKWELL:S Luby; G Ryan, A Joyce, W Devane, A O'Leary; C Sweeney; P Holahan; M Kelly, J O'Kelly, J O'Brien; I Duffy (capt), M Crosse; M Feehan, P Butler, J Ryan. Replacements: B Cullinane for O'Brien (42 mins); E Kelly for Butler, B Silke for O'Leary (both 49 mins); A O'Mahony for Holahan (52 mins); D O'Neill for Kelly (70 mins).
Referee:T Collins (MAR).
