Rockwell College much too strong for cup favourites
Rockwell College 27 St Munchin's College 8
All the talk before this thrilling Avonmore Munster Senior schools first round game between Rockwell College and Limerick City's St Munchin's College was about statistics - Munchin's were the first side ever to play in this competition with a set of triplets in their team, their side included ten players capped by Munster schools this year and most bookies made them 2/1 favourites to win the competition outright. However at Clanwilliam RFC the only statistic that mattered was an empathic victory for the Cashel men and probably the best start they have made in this competition in recent years.
Rockwell went into this match with nine of last year's squad which were beaten by Christian Brothers College from Cork in the final. Rockwell's promising Ireland Schools outhalf JJ Hanrahan was Munchin's tormenter in chief all day and his link play with fellow halfback Tim Rafferty gave Munchin's full back Jack Murray a torrid time in the early stages. Indeed it was one such early foray where some good ball won by lock Sean McCarthy in the lineout saw Rafferty link well with Hanrahan before the Kerry man executed a superb cross field kick which narrowly eluded winger Ross Mullane in the corner allowing the covering Munchin's winger Paul Curtis to deny the Tipp men the opening score.
However this was only a sign of things to come from Rockwell as time and again Hanrahan's kicking into enemy territory and Rockwell's quickness at the breakdown was putting Munchin's under enormous pressure. They finally cracked after 11 minutes when after a superb off-load from flanker Joseph Meagher, Hanrahan broke clear and after feigning a pass, scored the game's first try at the same clubhouse end where he scored against the same opposition last year. He duly added the extras himself to leave Rockwell 7-0 up.
Rather than sit back on their lead, Rockwell kept attacking and the strong line out with jumpers Sean McCarthy, a nephew of former Irish international Mick Galwey, Luke Cahill, Stephen Maguire and team captain and Irish schools flanker Shane Buckley dominating coupled with precise throwing from Irish shot champion Tom Doyle, one got the sense that another score was inevitable. It arrived just nine minutes later when from another Rockwell lineout and a brilliant take from No.8 Luke Cahill, impressive scrum half Raftery playing on his home ground linked well with outhalf Hanrahan who passed to centre Donagh McGillacuddy. The Kerry minor footballer still had a lot to do when he took possession but he found the crucial gap to score under the posts with Hanrahan again adding the extra.
The pressure was on the Limerick men to come out and attack the Rockwell lead and one of their few forays into Rockwell territory in this period was to lead to disaster. After a promising phase of play on the Rockwell twenty two, a skip pass from Munchin's centre Eamon Carr went horribly wrong. Rockwell second centre Harry McNulty shot brilliantly from the line to make a telling interception before running the length of the pitch to score under the posts. Hanrahan continued his impeccable kicking by making no mistake with the conversion.
More was to follow for Rockwell after 31 minutes when referee Leo Colgan, who had a fine game awarding just 8 penalties, four apiece, awarded Rockwell a penalty after a high tackle on McGillacuddy by Evan Ryan. Hanrahan bisected the posts to put Rockwell 24-0 up. Munchin’s outhalf Brian Mullins did manage to score a penalty for his side before the break to leave the half-time score at 24-3.
Munchin’s resorted to their more familiar forward oriented game at the start of the second half as well as switching fullback Murray to outhalf and the Rockwell defence had to put in a massive tackle count to keep their line intact. Hits by Buckley, Mullane and full back O’Rahilly proved telling in restricting Munchin’s to just one try after 61 mins when Darren Ryan who with brothers Evan and Gavin and sons of the legendary Munster forward Ray made up the triplets on the team scored.
In truth though Rockwell continued to dominate and after just missing out on a try near the end outhalf JJ Hanrahan kicked a fine drop goal to leave the score at 27-9.
Rockwell will play Ard Scoil Ris (who were beaten 16-3 by PBC) in the quarter final (Round 2) on Wednesday, February 10 at Clanwilliam RFC in Tipperary Town at 3pm. This competition is now in its 101st year and while Rockwell failed to get their hands on the old trophy last year, which incidentally is now on display in the hallowed Thomond Park Museum, further displays like this could see them been involved in the business end of things again this year.
Rockwell College: Brian O’Rahilly (Tipp town), Shaun Horgan (Ballincollig), Harry McNulty (Bahrain), Donagh McGillacuddy(Dingle), Ross Mullane (Clerihan), JJ Hanrahan (Currow), Tim Rafferty (Tipp Town), Tom Doyle (Golden), Richard Moran (Dundrum), Cian O’Donnell (Charleville), Stephen Maguire (Holycross), Sean McCarthy (Castleisland), Shane Buckley (Capt, Buttevant), Joseph Meagher (Killenaule), Luke Cahill (Cloyne).
Subs not used : Eddie Phelan (Ballybacon), Sam Manton (Fethard), Aidan O’Sullivan (Dunmanway), Myles Coffey (Bray), Declan White (Carrick on Suir), Eoin Farrell (Cahir) and Conor Holland (Cahir).
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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