Garryowen bravehearts battle back to edge out Young Munster
Garryowen and Young Munster once again demonstrated the value of the Bank of Ireland Munster Senior Cup at Dooradoyle last night when they produced a thrilling quarter-final battle before holders Garryowen got through by 26 points to 23.
It was a result that looked more than a little unlikely after the first half hour after which Munsters led 16-0 and were clearly the better side.
Out-half Clayton Stewart knocked over three penalties and scrum-half Stephen Kerins finished off a smashing attack with a fine try in which winger Ed O’Keeffe played a major part to leave Garryowen looking more than a little rattled.
To their credit, however, they battled their way back strongly enough to set up a couple of penalties that centre Peadar Collins converted to leave it 16-6 for Munsters at the interval.
The Garryowen fightback gained further impetus immediately after the restart when they mauled a close-range lineout powerfully enough for hooker Liam Cronin to touch down and leave five points between the sides.
However, the issue seemed to have swung back into Munster’s favour when they produced a splendid counter-attack which led to a try for wing-forward Dan Walsh, which was converted by Stewart, to put his side ahead by 23-11.
Garryowen needed to come up with something special and that’s just what they did.
Peadar Collins slipped through for a try that he converted himself before his centre partner David McCarthy struck for another a few minutes later to level the score 23-23.
There was now no stopping Garryowen and they forced a match-winning penalty that Collins calmly knocked between the sticks.
Even then, Munster were not for throwing in the towel and the home side had to present a really impressive defensive wall in the dying minutes to escape with the desired outcome in the kind of game for which the Munster Senior Cup has been renowned for the past 132 years.
A O’Byrne; J Heuston, P Collins, D McCarthy, D Hurley; J Gavin, R Guerin; J Mullany, L Cronin, A Keating, K Seymour, D Moore, S Rennison, D Ryan, A Fitzgerald.
A Thai, M O’Donnell, B Falloon, E Maher, B Swindelhurst, T Ferguson, M Oyuga.
A Tynan; J Kiely, D Corcoran, L Fitzgerald, E O’Keeffe; C Stewart, S Kerins; G Ryan, M O’Meara, C Bartley, A Kennedy capt, T Goggin, D Dee, D Walsh, J Foley.
S Fenton, C Skehan, A Ross, C Mitchell, S Airey, J Wycherley, T McHale.
