Sacred Heart crowned Munster junior cup champions!

Sacred Heart Clonakilty 19

Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí 0

SACRED Heart Clonakilty were crowned Pinergy Munster Schools Girls Junior Cup champions after defeating Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí on Wednesday afternoon.

In a wet and windy Virgin Media Park these two sides put together a superb showcase for girls' schools' rugby. Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí kicked off with the aid of a strong breeze in the first half but they were given no time to rest as the Sacred Heart attack was relentless. The Clon school set out their stall from the offset and had Bantry under pressure from the beginning of this tie.

The first score of the game came after a great line break by winger Elsa Quirke who was set on her way by a brilliant pass by fly half Lani O’Donovan. Bantry’s Alice O’Donovan made a lung bursting run to chase Quirke down with the tryline at her mercy but Clon showed great patience at the line and the ball was eventually recycled to Elva McAuley who touched down for the first score of the game. Keelin McCarthy added the conversion into a strong breeze.

Sacred Heart Clonakilty’s Solène Skupiewski in possession. (Photo: INPHO/Ken Sutton)

Clon added to the lead on the 20 minute mark after some fantastic phase play. Meghan Coakley, Maria O’Donovan and Amie Millin all produced massive carries to bring Clon to the try line. Number eight, Niamh Hilliard was the one to touchdown and after a conversion from McCarthy the score was 14-0.

Soon after it was a third try for Clon and a second for Elva McCarthy. Some brilliant offloading from the Clon side opened up the Bantry defence and that allowed McCarthy to touchdown. The conversion was missed but that left Clon leading 19-0 at half-time.

The second half was one that Bantry tried and tried to break the Clon line but they stood firm. Bantry spent most of the half camped in the Clon 22 but some incredible Clonakilty defence meant that they kept a clean sheet and emerged victorious.

Sacred Heart Clonakilty: Maria O’Donovan, Elsa Quirke, Elva McAuley, Keelin McCarthy, Laura Sexton, Lani O’Donovan, Julie Finn, Maya McMahon, Ciara O’Driscoll, Meghan Coakley, Emily Bell, Chloe Galwey, Aideen O’Sullivan, Amie Millin, Niamh Hilliard.

Replacements: Ciara Barrett for Elva McAuley (39), Leah Egan for Keelin McCarthy (44), Sinead O’Callaghan for Ciara O’Driscoll (46), Seodhna Walsh for Julie Finn (57), Shona Fleming for Lani O’Donovan (57), Isabelle Neville for Elsa Quirke (57), Sophie Bell for Emily Bell (57), Ellie Collins for Maria O’Donovan (59).

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: Keelyn O’Connor for Leah Barry (5), Amy Coughlan for Muireann McCarthy (9),  Grace Keane for Elsa Quirke (52’) Nicol Lenazun for Lucy Donaldson (58).