Hackett lands late penalty for Castletroy

Castletroy College 3 Bandon Grammar 0:  Philip Hackett proved the hero for Castletroy College in rain-soaked Annacotty yesterday…

Castletroy College 3 Bandon Grammar 0: Philip Hackett proved the hero for Castletroy College in rain-soaked Annacotty yesterday, when his sublimely-struck penalty on full-time sailed between the posts to give his side victory in its first year in the Munster Schools' Senior Cup. In freezing conditions, both sides managed to play exciting rugby.

Bandon Grammar, who entered this tie as favourites, were offered two gilt-edged try-scoring opportunities on the stroke of half-time, but the Castletroy defence, where Peter Boland, Shane Leonard and Brendan Dunphy shined, held firm.

Scoring opportunities were minimal on a greasy surface, but Bandon's Alan Jennings saw his penalty in the 60th minute drop agonisingly short.

With a replay looking imminent, the Limerick College were offered a chance of victory in the 70th minute when Bandon were penalised for offside on the 10 metre line.

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Up stepped the irrepressible Hackett, whose cultured left boot saw his effort split the posts to give Castletroy a famous victory.

CASTLETROY COLLEGE: N Maloney; C Fenn, P Boland, D Lenihan, I McGuire; P Hackett, J Hoare; D Martin, S Gunnigle, C Healy, J Kavanagh, S Stokes, B Dunphy (capt), S Kelly, S Leonard. Replacements: M Givens for Martin (30 mins); P Schmid for McGuire (38 mins).

BANDON GRAMMAR: B Henchy; C O'Reilly, S Huleatt-James, J Perrott, D Bradfield; A Jennings, C Crowley; S Sweetnam, S Deane (capt), D Murphy, A Lynch, T Laubach, D Good, D Crowley, N Peters.

Referee: G Slater (MAR).