Crescent Comprehensive, Munster Senior Schools Cup Winners 2014
So Crescent Comprehensive have done it, won back to back Senior Cup titles for the 1st since they did it back in 89 and 90.They were not the pre-tournament favourites on this occasion that honour fell to the team they faced in the final Ard Scoil Ris .But to be fair to this particular team they didn’t seem to mind whether they were favourites or not. They started their campaign at home in Rossbrien with a comfortable 39-0 win over Christian Brothers College. They then to play Presentation Brothers College in the quarter final and after a highly entertaining and dramatic game they drew 21-21 even after both sides had chances to win the game.
Then Crescent had little time to feel sorry for themselves as they had to prepare for a replay that was on down in The Mardyke on the following Sunday. They managed all the expectation and after a tight opening 20 minutes Crescent just went up a couple of gears and pulled away from Presentation and went on to win by 15-5.
In the Semi-final they faced Castletroy College and again Crescent‘s superior defence and knowhow in attack saw them past a spirited Castletroy team, they went on to win by 23-8. That set up the first ever all Limerick Senior Cup final between Crescent and Ard Scoil Ris.
The final took place on St Patrick’s Day in Thomond Park in front of 6,000 spectators. Crescent went into the game as slight favourites and it took them 28 minutes to take charge of the final after missing an early penalty they scored a try through Skipper Cormac Blake and it was converted to put them 7-0 up and soon after that they were 12-0 up after a move that saw scrum half Gary Fitzgerald pass to out half Fionn Mc Gibney and his pass set full back Dylan Sheehan away to score and this was converted to leave the half time score 14-0 in favour of Crescent.
Ard Scoil Ris needed to start the 2nd half with the 1st score to stand any hope of closing the gap or else Crescent would go on to secure their 2nd Cup victory. From Ard Scoil Ris’s point of view they didn’t take the chances that they created when Crescent were down to 14 for 10 minutes when Second Row Robbie Scott was sin binned for a professional foul. Just before Robbie Scott came back into the fray Ard Scoil Ris lost their flanker Jerry Mc Cabe for the same infringement and with that went there chances of a comeback. Late on Crescent added a third try and it was converted to make it 21-0. Ard Scoil Ris got a reward for their hard work a persistence when number 8 Kelvin Brown crashed over from close range and out half David O Mahony added the extras to leave the score 21-7 and that’s the way it finished.
A word on the coaches Conan Doyle and Eugene Mc Govern both great characters and they have a great repower with the whole squad. They are a well drilled side and even though they had a poor discipline record that saw them lose a player in each round, they trusted the system be that in attack or in defence they scored some wonderful tries throughout. This team is build on strong defence and a really intelligent attack. They have two of the finest centres that I have ever seen JJ O Neill and Will Leonard and also a really strong pack led by Mike O Donnell and Liam Mc Mahon.
And finally the supporters, be they teachers or students they never let the side down all the way through this competition with unwavering support. And the win was for them as well as the players. From this author’s point of view it is great to see such unique camaraderie between pitch and stand.
By Cian Mc Gibney. 19-03-2014
