Ruadhán Quinn hat-trick seals Munster final slot for Crescent Comprehensive

Bandon Grammar School’s hopes of historic first senior final dashed at the death

Crescent Comprehensive hat-trick hero Ruadhán Quinn celebrates with supporters after the win over Bandon Grammar School in the semi-finals of the Munster  Schools Senior Cup semi-final at  Old Crescent RFC in Limerick. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho
Crescent Comprehensive hat-trick hero Ruadhán Quinn celebrates with supporters after the win over Bandon Grammar School in the semi-finals of the Munster Schools Senior Cup semi-final at Old Crescent RFC in Limerick. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho

Crescent College Comprehensive 17 Bandon Grammar School 15

Hat-trick hero Ruadhán Quinn grabbed a last-gasp try to fire Crescent College Comprehensive to the Munster Schools Senior Cup final and leave Bandon Grammar School crestfallen at the end of a memorable semi-final at Takumi Park on Wednesday.

The west Cork school seemed to be on the brink of an historic first final appearance after flanker JayC van der Westhuizen blocked a kick to touch down at the posts, with Jeff Williams converting for a 15-12 lead with only four minutes remaining.

Crescent, who now meet PBC in the decider, hit back immediately and a knock-on offered them the opportunity to reclaim the advantage and the powerful number eight Quinn gratefully accepted to score in the left corner.

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Bandon, who had their own magnificent number eight Adam Murphy controversially red-carded on a touch judge's advice after 57 minutes, were left rue a misfiring lineout and handling errors following a brilliant first-half defence as the sides turned around scoreless.

Two minutes in, though, Crescent capitalised on a poor Bandon throw for Quinn to open the scoring with outhalf Oscar Davey converting from the touchline.

Williams replied with a penalty only for Bandon to knock-on the restart in their own 22 and Quinn made them pay with his second try for 12-3.

Bandon hit back with a try from centre Peter O'Sullivan after Paddy Gaffney picked him out with a pinpoint cross-kick, but Williams pulled his conversion wide.

The outhalf also struck the outside of a post with a penalty on the hour, but despite being reduced to 14 players, Bandon snatched a shock lead with Van der Westhuizen’s try after 66 minutes, only for Quinn to break their hearts with his third score.

CRESCENT COLLEGE: J O'Dwyer; B Nash, C O'Halloran, W Hoffman, J McEnery; O Davey, J Duggan; L O'Grady, C Henchy, M Fitzgerald; J Somers, C Kelly; M Clein, P Obasa, R Quinn.

BANDON GS: P Gaffney; B Spearman-Walsh, P O'Sullivan, L McCarthy, C Ryan; J Williams, D O'Driscoll; J O'Regan, D McGarvey, M Connolly; S Coughlan, B Kingston; C Miskella, JC van der Westhuizen, A Murphy.

Referee: P Sheehan (Munster).