Sacred Heart chase Munster schools' rugby double

SACRED Heart Clonakilty will compete in both the Pinergy Munster Schools Girls senior and junior cup finals at Virgin Media Park on March 13th.

While the juniors hammered Ardscoil Mhuire in their semi-final, the senior clash with three-in-a-row chasing St Anne’s Community College at UL’s 4G pitch was a lot closer – the Clon school eventually winning by a single point, 13-12, to advance to the final for the first time.

Clonakilty’s Emer Moroney scored the first try after 18 minutes, which went unconverted, but St Annes hit back to lead 7-5 at the break. The lead stretched to 12-5 early in the second half before Sacred Heart hit back.

Centre Kate Nolan crossed for a crucial try, which was unconverted. Down two points, Sacred Heart out-half Rachel Twomey nailed a penalty to send her school into the final against Coláiste Muire Ennis next week (4pm).

Sacred Heart Clonakilty: Solene Skupiewski; Clodagh McCarthy, Ella O’Sullivan, Kate Nolan, Tara Fleming; Rachel Twomey, Caoimhe McCarthy; Sara O’Sullivan, Orla Whelton, Amy Giles; Leona Arra, Éabha Egan; Kate Burton, Roxanne Llewellyn, Emer Moroney. Replacements: Alison McCarthy, Emily Moloney, Aoife Godwin-Coombs, Alison Brennan, Charlotte McCabe, Olivia Lawlor, Eavan Boyle, Annabel Tapia, Orlaith Finn, Aisling Dinneen.

***

There will be an all-West Cork final of the Munster Schools Girls Junior Cup on March 13th in Musgrave Park after both Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí and Sacred Heart Clonakilty won their respective semi-finals.

The Bantry school beat last year’s champions St Anne’s Community College 17-22 to make history and become the first girls’ rugby team from the school to book their spot in a Munster final (2pm), while Sacred Heart Clonakilty blew Ardscoil Mhuire away with an eight-try spree in their 44-10 win.

At one stage in Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí’s win they led 22-5, with Mary Fox scoring one of the tries, and out-half Abbey Connolly accurate from the tee. St Annes hit back with two tries, but the Bantry side had built up enough of a lead to hold on to win by five.

In Sacred Heart’s convincing win in Tralee against Ardscoil Mhuire, Maria O’Donovan, Laura Sexton, Amie Millin, Lani O’Donovan, Julie finn, Keelin McCarthy and Niamh Hilliard (two) all scored tries, while Keelin McCarthy took the conversions. 

Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí: Belle O’Donoghue; Sophie O’Shea, Ciara Kelly, Alice O’Donovan, Seren Lehane; Abbey Connolly, Grace Cronin; Leah Barry, Maggie Murray, Gracie O’Connor; Annie Doody, Lucy Donaldson; Mary Fox, Caoimhe McCarthy, Muireann McCarthy. Replacements: Amy Coughlan, Grace Keane, Niamh Thorpe, Niamh Healy, Aoife Myler, Keelyn O’Connor, Ellie O’Connor, Nicol Lenazun.

Sacred Heart: Maya McMahon, Meghan Coakley, Sophie Bell, Emily Bell, Chloe Galwey, Aideen O'Sullivan, Amie Millin, Niamh Hilliard, Julie Finn, Lani O'Donovan, Laura Sexton, Keelin McCarthy, Elva McAuley, Elsa Quirke, Maria O'Donovan. Replacements: Isabelle Neville, Seodhna Walsh, Shona Fleming, Emilee Hansberry, Ciara Barrett, Leah Egan, Ríona O'Toole, Ellie Collins.

***

There was heartbreak for Bandon Grammar School as they lost their Munster Schools Boys Junior Cup semi-final against PBC, 28-20. After PBC went 7-0 ahead, the Bandon school hit back with an Illan Smith try converted by Jamie Hicks. Converted tries either side of half time saw PBC lead 21-7, before Hicks nailed a penalty to narrow the gap, 21-10. But another PBC try saw them move 18 points in front. Bandon never gave up and two unconverted tries from Alexander Bramoullé and Sam Barry closed the gap, but it wasn’t enough in the end.

Bandon Grammar: Harry McCourt; Jamie Hicks, Illan Smith, David Fuller, Nathan van der Westhuizen; Sam Barry, Lewis Linehan; Jack Deasy, Adam Barry, Jack van Niekerk; James Symington, Scott Brady; Aaron White, Aidan Gambura, Daniel Hyde.

Replacements: Robert Hall, Mark Whelton, Matthew Buttimer, Daniel Kent, Ciaran Beecher, Fionn Lucey, Brian McLaughlin, Alexander Bramoulle, Charlie Johnston, Robert Long.