U18.5s qualify for Munster Cup with win over Desmond
The U18.5s travelled to Newcastlewest on Saturday to face Desmond with the winner qualifying for the group stages of the Munster Cup.
Early stages were tightly contested and scrappy to an extent, with both teams opting to kick for territory in the damp and drizzly conditions. Both teams missed a penalty early on in similar fashion - with the ball just dropping under the crossbar.
Killarney had a couple of good chances - a cross field kick ran dead and a break by out-half Gearóid Sugrue came to nothing as good Desmond defence snuffed out the attack. Almost 25 minutes had passed with the score at 0-0, when Jack Gabbett broke the Desmond line and raced to score under the posts. Bryan Walsh converted. Minutes later as Desmond attacked, Walsh intercepted and ran half the length of the field to score under the posts. Gearóid Sugrue converted.
We then withstood a big attack from Desmond using their big ball carriers close to the try line - they then switched the play but good scramble defence saw them bundled into touch only 2 metres out. Mark Brosnan won the subsequent lineout and a long clearing kick and excellent chase had us harassing Desmond. Mark Kennelly charged down Desmond's attempted kick, Bryan Walsh showed surprising juggling skills, and Kennelly sent Paddy Moore towards the try line. We knocked forward in the subsequent phases but won the subsequent scrum. Adam Lynch picked up from the base barrelled over from 5 metres for our third try. Gearóid Sugrue converted again to leave us 21-0 up at the break.
Some time had passed in the second half before Killarney scored again. A penalty from Desmond that failed to reach touch gave Shane Morrissey the chance to kick a 50-22 (or in this case a 22-22). This gave the lads a prolonged period of possession in the Desmond half, with drives from the forwards keeping Desmond backpedalling. A break from Dylan O'Brien led to a Desmond scrum but the clearing kick was well-read by Arthur Gabbett and returned to the Desmond 22. Jack Donoghue found space and then offloaded to Gearóid Sugrue who cut back inside to score. Bryan Walsh converted.
The fifth try came after a prolonged bout of kick tennis saw Desmond give away a penalty for not retreating. Asmart cross field kick from the penalty by Bryan Walsh found open space and Desmond struggled to clear their lines. A messy lineout led to a Killarney scrum. Shane O'Sullivan drove up the left wing - the ball was recycled to Sugrue who cut back against the blitzing defence and ran under the posts. Shane Morrissey kicked the conversion.
Desmond kicked a penalty deep into the Killarney 22, and mauled from the subsequent lineout but a knock on led to a Killarney scrum. From the scrum, Sugrue chipped into space over the Desmond defence. Walsh kicked ahead and won the foot race to score his second try. The conversion attempt hit the post.
Desmond finally broke their duck with a try after a long period of possession interspersed with Killarney penalties. But Killarney had the final word with a try from Mark Kennelly, converted by Bryan Walsh
Tries (7): Walsh (2), Sugrue (2), Gabbett, Lynch, Kennelly;
Con (6): Walsh (3), Sugrue (2), Morrissey;
The U18.5s travelled to Newcastlewest on Saturday to face Desmond with the winner qualifying for the group stages of the Munster Cup.
Early stages were tightly contested and scrappy to an extent, with both teams opting to kick for territory in the damp and drizzly conditions. Both teams missed a penalty early on in similar fashion - with the ball just dropping under the crossbar.
Killarney had a couple of good chances - a cross field kick ran dead and a break by out-half Gearóid Sugrue came to nothing as good Desmond defence snuffed out the attack. Almost 25 minutes had passed with the score at 0-0, when Jack Gabbett broke the Desmond line and raced to score under the posts. Bryan Walsh converted. Minutes later as Desmond attacked, Walsh intercepted and ran half the length of the field to score under the posts. Gearóid Sugrue converted.
We then withstood a big attack from Desmond using their big ball carriers close to the try line - they then switched the play but good scramble defence saw them bundled into touch only 2 metres out. Mark Brosnan won the subsequent lineout and a long clearing kick and excellent chase had us harassing Desmond. Mark Kennelly charged down Desmond's attempted kick, Bryan Walsh showed surprising juggling skills, and Kennelly sent Paddy Moore towards the try line. We knocked forward in the subsequent phases but won the subsequent scrum. Adam Lynch picked up from the base barrelled over from 5 metres for our third try. Gearóid Sugrue converted again to leave us 21-0 up at the break.
Some time had passed in the second half before Killarney scored again. A penalty from Desmond that failed to reach touch gave Shane Morrissey the chance to kick a 50-22 (or in this case a 22-22). This gave the lads a prolonged period of possession in the Desmond half, with drives from the forwards keeping Desmond backpedalling. A break from Dylan O'Brien led to a Desmond scrum but the clearing kick was well-read by Arthur Gabbett and returned to the Desmond 22. Jack Donoghue found space and then offloaded to Gearóid Sugrue who cut back inside to score. Bryan Walsh converted.
The fifth try came after a prolonged bout of kick tennis saw Desmond give away a penalty for not retreating. Asmart cross field kick from the penalty by Bryan Walsh found open space and Desmond struggled to clear their lines. A messy lineout led to a Killarney scrum. Shane O'Sullivan drove up the left wing - the ball was recycled to Sugrue who cut back against the blitzing defence and ran under the posts. Shane Morrissey kicked the conversion.
Desmond kicked a penalty deep into the Killarney 22, and mauled from the subsequent lineout but a knock on led to a Killarney scrum. From the scrum, Sugrue chipped into space over the Desmond defence. Walsh kicked ahead and won the foot race to score his second try. The conversion attempt hit the post.
Desmond finally broke their duck with a try after a long period of possession interspersed with Killarney penalties. But Killarney had the final word with a try from Mark Kennelly, converted by Bryan Walsh
Tries (7): Walsh (2), Sugrue (2), Gabbett, Lynch, Kennelly;
Con (6): Walsh (3), Sugrue (2), Morrissey;
