Crescent College Comprehensive 17 Bandon Grammar School 15
Hat-trick hero Ruadhán Quinn grabbed a last-gasp try to fire Crescent College Comprehensive to the Munster Schools Senior Cup final and leave Bandon Grammar School crestfallen at the end of a memorable semi-final at Takumi Park on Wednesday.
The west Cork school seemed to be on the brink of an historic first final appearance after flanker JayC van der Westhuizen blocked a kick to touch down at the posts, with Jeff Williams converting for a 15-12 lead with only four minutes remaining.
Crescent, who now meet PBC in the decider, hit back immediately and a knock-on offered them the opportunity to reclaim the advantage and the powerful number eight Quinn gratefully accepted to score in the left corner.
Bandon, who had their own magnificent number eight Adam Murphy controversially red-carded on a touch judge's advice after 57 minutes, were left rue a misfiring lineout and handling errors following a brilliant first-half defence as the sides turned around scoreless.
Two minutes in, though, Crescent capitalised on a poor Bandon throw for Quinn to open the scoring with outhalf Oscar Davey converting from the touchline.
Williams replied with a penalty only for Bandon to knock-on the restart in their own 22 and Quinn made them pay with his second try for 12-3.
Bandon hit back with a try from centre Peter O'Sullivan after Paddy Gaffney picked him out with a pinpoint cross-kick, but Williams pulled his conversion wide.
The outhalf also struck the outside of a post with a penalty on the hour, but despite being reduced to 14 players, Bandon snatched a shock lead with Van der Westhuizen’s try after 66 minutes, only for Quinn to break their hearts with his third score.
CRESCENT COLLEGE: J O'Dwyer; B Nash, C O'Halloran, W Hoffman, J McEnery; O Davey, J Duggan; L O'Grady, C Henchy, M Fitzgerald; J Somers, C Kelly; M Clein, P Obasa, R Quinn.
BANDON GS: P Gaffney; B Spearman-Walsh, P O'Sullivan, L McCarthy, C Ryan; J Williams, D O'Driscoll; J O'Regan, D McGarvey, M Connolly; S Coughlan, B Kingston; C Miskella, JC van der Westhuizen, A Murphy.
Referee: P Sheehan (Munster).
