Cistercian Roscrea 12
CBC Monkstown 6
Rugby – Leinster Schools Senior Cup
Cistercian College Roscrea booked their place in the quarter-final of the Leinster Schools Senior Cup with a hard-earned win over CBC Monkstown in Clontarf on Friday afternoon.
Two first-half tries – one from Emo man Finbarr Crowley – helped last year’s beaten finalists Roscrea to a 12-0 lead at the break.
Although played on a 4G pitch, the incessant rain made it difficult for both sides. Impressive centre Adi Donovan got Roscrea off the mark with a 12th minute try which was converted by Tadhg Bird and Crowley went over for their second when he pounced on a loose ball.
The South Dublin school battled back bravely in the second half and two penalties from James Reynolds brought them within a converted try. But Roscrea defended soundly to hold on to book a quarter-final place against Gonzaga which will be a repeat of the league final won by Gonzaga in early January.
As well as scrum-half Crowley, Conor Kelly captained the side from out-half while transition year student Lucas Culliton was an early replacement for Josh Wycherly. Wycherly is a younger brother of Fineen who is lining out for the Ireland U-20 team against Scotland tonight.
Luke Rigney from Portlaoise, David Maher from Stradbally and Liam Crowley from Emo were all among the replacements for Roscrea.
The quarter-final draw sees champions Belvedere College pitted against St Michael’s in the last eight while record holders Blackrock College will play a Terenure side that got better of Kilkenny College on Wednesday. The remaining quarter-final sees Clongowes Wood take on St Mary’s.
The quarter-finals will be played between Sunday, February 12, and Wednesday, February 15.
CISTERCIAN COLLEGE ROSCREA: Tadhg Bird; Ben Hyland, Philip O’Shea, Adi Donavan, Paul Keane (Jay Culleton ’58); Conor Kelly (captain), Finbarr Crowley; Josh Wycherley (Lucas Culleton ’15), Tom Byrne (Jerry Cahir ’51), Michael Milne; Ryan Lomas, Neal Moylett; Cathal Walsh, Robert Enraght-Moony.
Replacements: Jerry Cahir, Luke Rigney, David Maher, Lucas Culleton, James Corcoran, Liam Crowley, Ben Murphy, Jay Culleton.
CBC MONKSTOWN: James Reynolds; Conor Newman, Cameron Watson, Darragh Forster (Harry Shaw ’38), Luke Sweeney; Sean Power, Shane O’Hanrahan; Max Read, Mark Theunissen (Conor Byrne ’58), Callum Kavanagh; Robert Ivers, Eoin Vaughan (Gavin Tinney ’69); Robert Doyle, Zach Sattar, Eoghan Clarke (captain).
Replacements: Kenzi Kouadri, Gavin Tinney, Jonathan Browne, Luke Hallam, Conor Byrne, Harry Shaw, Cian Tallon, Geoffrey Mahon.
REFEREE: Helen O’Reilly (Leinster Rugby)
